Coronavirus + Flu = ‘Flurona’: Should You Be Worried About It?

It’s been dubbed flurona: when a person is infected with the influenza virus and the Covid-19 coronavirus, either simultaneously or back-to-back. Cases are being reported around the globe, and experts say they are likely to grow as the more contagious omicron variant becomes more prevalent. The phenomenon, however, isn’t exactly new. Reports of such “co-infections” go back to early 2020.

At a time when the world is bracing for every new twist in the pandemic, it’s understandable that the prospect of getting Covid and the flu at the same time is causing some people anxiety. And it’s no surprise that examples of this are emerging, given omicron’s remarkable spread and the fact that, with societies a lot more open than a year ago, the flu is staging a comeback after practically disappearing amid last year’s lockdowns and heightened focus on hygiene.