We’ve learned a lot of new terms this year, like “social distancing” and “distance learning,” but now there’s a new term that you’re probably going to start hearing a lot: twindemic.

The meaning of “twindemic” is probably self-explanatory. It’s a double pandemic. The first pandemic is obviously COVID-19. We’re all very, very aware of that. You may be wondering what the second pandemic is. 

The second pandemic is the flu. Yes, the flu is something we deal with every year. We even have a term for it – “cold and flu season.” We may not think of the flu as a pandemic, but it is a worldwide concern. 

This year, with the double whammy of flu season approaching and COVID-19 still a major issue, doctors believe that it is more important than ever to get the flu shot. Perhaps you get a flu shot every year anyway. Perhaps you’ve never gotten it before. There are some lucky people out there who never seem to get sick even without getting a flu shot.

This year, you may not want to take your chances. Watch the video below to learn more about why the flu shot could be especially important this year.

 

Senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, Amesh A. Adalja, MD, told Health, “We have to prepare for a challenging flu season.”

One concern doctors have is the overlap in symptoms between the flu and COVID-19. It may be difficult for doctors to tell them apart, and hospitals may be overwhelmed with patients.

While doctors anticipate an early flu season, some suggest waiting until October to make sure the vaccine lasts throughout the entire flu season. What’s most important is to get the shot. If you get it earlier or later than October it is much better than not getting it at all.

Do you usually get a flu shot? Are you going to get a flu shot this year?