Annual flu shot does not guarantee protection vs COVID-19, says medical expert
You feel safe from flu-related diseases after you had your annual flu jab. Think again! Dr. Jumel V. Bornilla, chief executive officer of the International Travelers Medical Center (ITMC) located at Makati Palace Hotel, pointed out that people who receive their annual flu shot are not spared from getting other diseases like the dreaded COVID-19. "First and foremost, the flu vaccine is designed to prevent infections with influenza viruses, which are very different than coronaviruses. However, if you had your annual flu shot and unluckily you were infected by the COVID-19, it would be easier for the health care workforce to delineate nonspecific symptoms such as fever and cough, which overlap with symptoms of COVID-19 and influenza virus," said Bornilla, during an online interview March 20. "As SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is spreading in communities around the world, distinguishing between flu and COVID-19 will become more difficult. On the bright side, it is ...