Pathologists Warn of a Bad Flu Season Ahead

COVID prevention measures such as wearing masks and social distancing have been keeping the number of flu cases down in recent years; however, a particularly bad strain of flu coming out of the southern hemisphere has pathologists concerned. Chair of the College of American Pathologists’ (CAP) Microbiology Committee, Christina Wojewoda, MD, FCAP, told reporters this flu season was a much-discussed topic at the CAP’s annual meeting in New Orleans earlier this month.

“Our best predictor is what Australia sees, which is our summer, which is their winter. Their winter had the worst flu season that they’ve had in the last five years,” said Dr. Wojewoda, who is also director of the clinical microbiology lab at the University of Vermont Medical Center.

What can you do to fight the flu? Dr. Wojewoda and her pathologist colleagues are urging everyone to get their flu shot, as well as COVID booster shot, as soon as possible.

“One in one arm, one in the other, get it all taken care of in one appointment,” she said. “These are two totally different viruses. You need both shots to make sure you are as protected as you can be this fall and winter.”