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seasonal flu has been quiet since the corona epidemic, but this year, the number of suspected flu patients is increasing.

Quarantine authorities feared that Corona and the flu could spread at the same time this winter.



Reporter Nam Joo-hyun reports.



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the fourth week of last month, the number of suspected seasonal flu patients increased for three consecutive weeks to 4.3 per 1,000 people.



It is less than the prevalence standard of 5.8, but comparing the same period, the number is the highest since 2017.



This is because the number of people with natural immunity has decreased as the flu has been quiet for years, and even if they have been vaccinated, immunity has declined over time.



It is also worth noting that in Australia, which is located in the southern hemisphere, where winter comes first, more than 210,000 people contracted the flu, which is higher than the average of 160,000 people in the five years before Corona.



The quarantine authorities said that it is highly likely that the corona and flu will spread simultaneously this winter.



Influenza vaccination is also important, starting from the 21st, it is suitable for children, pregnant women, and the elderly.



The World Health Organization (WHO) issued guidelines last year that both vaccines can be administered together.



He also recommended administering different vaccines to the left and right arms.



[Lee Geun-hwa/Professor, Department of Microbiology, Hanyang University: Since the target population is different, theoretically, there is no such thing as a serious adverse reaction when both vaccines are received at the same time.]



In Korea, out of about 51,000 people who were vaccinated at the same time last winter, 115 reported an adverse reaction, one died after being vaccinated, and 114 had mild symptoms.



The flu vaccine is just as effective as the COVID-19 vaccine, so it's best for the elderly and children.



Since it is difficult to distinguish between the flu and Corona by symptoms, the introduction of the Corona-Flu simultaneous diagnosis kit developed in Korea should also be considered.



(Video editing: Seunghee Lee)