Wisconsin (NBC 26) -- With flu season just around the corner and the symptoms for COVID-19 being so similar, doctors are starting to weigh in on what to expect when influenza does in fact hit. Tonight local doctors share how this year the importance of getting a flu shot could be greater than ever.
The CDC lists signs of a fever, chills, a cough and even shortness of breath all as symptoms that both the flu and COVID-19 have in common.
"And the only way we often know whether it's the flu or COVID is to do a test," says Dr. Jennifer Frank the Chief Medical Officer at ThedaCare.
Dr. Frank says she anticipates fewer cases of the flu in the fall because of the increased measures people are taking socially distancing, but she also expects those who do contract the flu to be more susceptible to COVID-19 and it's dangers.
"So anything that excessively challenges your immune system may put you at higher risk for more severe complications, or may even make you more susceptible to getting sick from something else," says Dr. Frank.
The World Health Organization reports that most cases of COVID-19 last for about two weeks, which is very similar to the flu. But doctors say the symptoms related to COVID-19 can have much different impacts on your health than the flu if your case is severe.
"Even though the influenza virus changes a little bit each year most of us have been exposed to either a vaccine or an actual influenza at some time in our life. So we have a little bit of memory, that may help make an influenza infection less severe. We have none of that with COVID," says Dr. Frank.
Dr. Frank says COVID-19 is also believed to be much more infectious than the flu and while uncommon, it's not unheard of for people to contract both viruses at once.
"It's not that common in most of the studies but it can occur and you certainly don't want influenza and you certainly don't want COVID but you definitely don't want them together."
And while Dr. Frank suspects that many with flu like symptoms will be tested for both viruses if they go to their doctor, she also hopes that most will take the extra precaution this fall and get a flu shot.
"One of the reasons we immunize everyone against influenza is because not all of us are at high risk. But we all have contact with people who are high risk. This year it's more important than ever to get the influenza vaccine."
