After Corona, Florona is in the news. Here’s what you MUST know

The world is once again shuddering and shivering with panic, as Omicron and Delmicron variants of Covid-19 are on a rampage. By the first weekend of the New Year, India’s Omicron count crossed the 1700-mark, and the high transmission levels of the virus definitely spell a cautionary tale. And if that wasn’t enough, Israel has reportedly recorded its first case of Florona, which is said to be a double infection of Covid-19 and influenza. 

Leading media dailies from Israel revealed that the virus was detected in a pregnant woman, who was admitted to the Rabin Medical Centre to give birth. But there’s also news that the infected woman was not vaccinated. 

While there seems no silver lining in sight, reports suggest that Florona is not really a new variant, but a combination of flu and coronavirus occurring at the same time. Not much is known of this infection, but its link can also be traced to the high number of influenza cases that have surfaced in Israel over the past few weeks. 

Here’s all you need to know about Florona

• • If Israeli media reports are to be believed, Florona is likely to impact the immune system in a big way, since two viruses are attacking the body at the same time.
    
  • Currently, Israel is in the process of vaccinating its citizens with the fourth shot to fight Covid-19. This is for those who have a compromised immune system.
    
  • As per the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one or more days can pass, when there are no symptoms observed. That’s because, in the case of flu, a patient experiences symptoms anywhere between one to four days, while in the case of Covid-19, symptoms begin to show up 5 days after being infected, but symptoms can appear 2 to 14 days after infection.
    
  • The symptoms of Florona are similar to Covid-19 and include cough, runny nose, sore throat, fever, headache, and fatigue.
  • Researchers who were part of the study published in the journal Nature suggest that influenza has the ability to aggravate SARS-CoV-2 infection, and thus, prevention of influenza is of great significance during the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), all age groups can contract Florona. But older adults with comorbidities and weakened immune systems, healthcare workers, and pregnant women are at a higher risk than others. 

The last word

The only way to combat all kinds of infections during the Covid-19 pandemic is to get vaccinated and follow all the safety protocols such as maintaining social distancing, wearing masks, and sanitizing hands. In a piece of positive news, India also begins the Covid-19 vaccination drive for children aged 15-18 years. Meanwhile, the administration of the third dose or “booster shot” will begin on January 10, 2022, for healthcare workers, and vulnerable senior citizens.