Fear of Influenza Resurgence amid COVID-19 Pandemic: Need for Effective Flu Vaccine Still Exists

Wijesundara, Danushka K.; Williams, C. M.; Sun, Wei; Furuya, Andrea Marias; Furuya, Yasubumi

doi:10.3390/vaccines9101198

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…It is possible that seasonal flu will exacerbate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also possible that COVID-19 may reinvigorate and exacerbate seasonal flu [ 45 ]. To control the burden on countries caused by the simultaneous COVID-19 and flu pandemics called the ‘Twindemic’, access to vaccines for these diseases should be supported by public health and social measures [ 46 , 47 , 48 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Pneumococcal, Influenza, and COVID-19 Vaccinations on COVID-19 Hospitalization and Progression in People over 65 Years Old Living in Nursing Homes

2023

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Infectious diseases pose a major threat to elderly populations. Streptococcus pneumonia bacteria, influenza-causing viruses, and COVID-19 viruses cause three pathologies in the respiratory system with similar symptoms, transmission routes, and risk factors. Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of pneumococcal, influenza, and COVID-19 vaccinations on the status of COVID-19 hospitalization and progression in people over 65 years of age living in nursing homes. This study was performed in all nursing homes and elderly care centers in the Uskudar district of Istanbul.The diagnosis rate of COVID-19 was determined as 49%, the rate of hospitalization as 22.4%, the rate of hospitalization in the intensive care unit as 12.2%. The rate of intubation was determined as 10.4%, the rate of mechanical ventilation as 11.1% and the rate of COVID-19 related mortality rate as 9.7%. When the factors affecting the diagnosis of COVID-19 were examined, the presence and dose of COVID-19 vaccine was protective. When the factors affecting hospitalization status were examined, male sex and presence of chronic disease were risk factors; four doses of COVID-19 vaccine and influenza vaccine and pneumococcal vaccine together with COVID-19 vaccine were protective. When the factors affecting COVID-19-related death were examined, the male sex was a risk factor; the pneumococcal and influenza vaccine together with COVID-19 vaccine were protective. Our results revealed that the availability of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines positively impacted the progression of COVID-19 disease in the elderly population living in nursing homes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Pneumococcal, Influenza, and COVID-19 Vaccinations on COVID-19 Hospitalization and Progression in People over 65 Years Old Living in Nursing Homes

2023

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“…However, during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, seasonal influenza virus circulation was unprecedentedly low with very few reported infections 2 . The lack of immune stimulation to influenza viruses during this time, combined with waning antibody titres to previous influenza virus infections, could lead to increased susceptibility to influenza in the coming seasons and to larger and more severe epidemics when infection prevention measures against COVID-19 are relaxed 3,4 . Here, based on serum samples from 165 adults collected longitudinally before and during the pandemic, we show that the waning of antibody titres against seasonal influenza viruses during the first two years of the pandemic is likely to be negligible.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential impacts of prolonged absence of influenza virus circulation on subsequent epidemics

Garza

Jong

Gibson

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Seasonal influenza viruses typically cause annual epidemics worldwide infecting 5-15% of the human population. However, during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, seasonal influenza virus circulation was unprecedentedly low with very few reported infections. The lack of immune stimulation to influenza viruses during this time, combined with waning antibody titres to previous influenza virus infections, could lead to increased susceptibility to influenza in the coming seasons and to larger and more severe epidemics when infection prevention measures against COVID-19 are relaxed. Here, based on serum samples from 165 adults collected longitudinally before and during the pandemic, we show that the waning of antibody titres against seasonal influenza viruses during the first two years of the pandemic is likely to be negligible. Using historical influenza virus epidemiological data from 2003-2019, we also show that low country-level prevalence of each influenza subtype over one or more years has only small impacts on subsequent epidemic size. These results suggest that the risks posed by seasonal influenza viruses remained largely unchanged during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and that the sizes of future seasonal influenza virus epidemics will likely be similar to those observed before the pandemic.

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“…The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated 29 million cases, 380 000 hospitalizations, and 28 000 deaths from influenza in the US during the 2018 to 2019 season . While COVID-19 led to a temporary reduction in infections, influenza is now expected to have a resurgence . Novel strains or a rise in a relatively less immune population could trigger an influenza pandemic resembling the crises experienced in 1968 or 2009 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2 While COVID-19 led to a temporary reduction in infections, influenza is now expected to have a resurgence. 3 Novel strains or a rise in a relatively less immune population could trigger an influenza pandemic resembling the crises experienced in 1968 or 2009. 4 As such, the availability of safe and effective treatments is critical to avoid overwhelming health care systems and to reduce morbidity and mortality.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Oseltamivir Used to Prevent Hospitalization in Outpatients With Influenza

Hanula

Bortolussi‐Courval

Mendel³

et al. 2024

JAMA Intern Med

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ImportanceDespite widespread use, summary evidence from prior meta-analyses has contradictory conclusions regarding whether oseltamivir decreases the risk of hospitalization when given to outpatients. Several large investigator-initiated randomized clinical trials have not yet been meta-analyzed.ObjectiveTo assess the efficacy and safety of oseltamivir in preventing hospitalization among influenza-infected adult and adolescent outpatients.Data SourcesPubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Europe PubMed Central, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, ClinicalTrials.gov, and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry were searched from inception to January 4, 2022.Study SelectionIncluded studies were randomized clinical trials comparing oseltamivir vs placebo or nonactive controls in outpatients with confirmed influenza infection.Data Extraction and SynthesisIn this systematic review and meta-analysis, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guidelines were followed. Two independent reviewers (R.H. and É.B.C.) extracted data and assessed risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool 2.0. Each effect size was pooled using a restricted maximum likelihood random effects model. The quality of evidence was graded using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) framework.Main Outcomes and MeasuresHospitalization was pooled as risk ratio (RR) and risk difference (RD) estimates with 95% CIs.ResultsOf 2352 studies identified, 15 were included. The intention-to-treat infected (ITTi) population was comprised of 6295 individuals with 54.7% prescribed oseltamivir. Across study populations, 53.6% (5610 of 10 471) were female and the mean age was 45.3 (14.5) years. Overall, oseltamivir was not associated with reduced risk of hospitalization within the ITTi population (RR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.47-1.27; RD, −0.14%; 95% CI, −0.32% to 0.16%). Oseltamivir was also not associated with reduced hospitalization in older populations (mean age ≥65 years: RR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.19-5.13) or in patients considered at greater risk of hospitalization (RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.37-2.17). Within the safety population, oseltamivir was associated with increased nausea (RR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.13-1.82) and vomiting (RR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.28-2.63) but not serious adverse events (RR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.46-1.08).Conclusions and RelevanceIn this systematic review and meta-analysis among influenza-infected outpatients, oseltamivir was not associated with a reduced risk of hospitalization but was associated with increased gastrointestinal adverse events. To justify continued use for this purpose, an adequately powered trial in a suitably high-risk population is justified.

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Fear of Influenza Resurgence amid COVID-19 Pandemic: Need for Effective Flu Vaccine Still Exists

Abstract: As influenza season was approaching in 2020, public health officials feared that influenza would worsen the COVID-19 situation [...]

Cited by 4 publications

References 9 publications

The Effect of Pneumococcal, Influenza, and COVID-19 Vaccinations on COVID-19 Hospitalization and Progression in People over 65 Years Old Living in Nursing Homes

The Effect of Pneumococcal, Influenza, and COVID-19 Vaccinations on COVID-19 Hospitalization and Progression in People over 65 Years Old Living in Nursing Homes

Potential impacts of prolonged absence of influenza virus circulation on subsequent epidemics

Evaluation of Oseltamivir Used to Prevent Hospitalization in Outpatients With Influenza

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