In the midst of an increase in Covid cases due to the contagious Omicron variant, in Israel the first case of “flurone”, a coronavirus infection and flu at the same time , has been detected in a pregnant woman who was not vaccinated .
If it was already practically impossible to differentiate the symptoms between flu and Covid without a specific test, now we know this new disease caused by the combination of both viruses, which they have called “flurone” , a combination of “flu” (“flu” in English ) and “corona” (for coronavirus).
Infected with both viruses
The woman infected by both viruses, presented mild symptoms despite not being immunized and was discharged on December 30 after giving birth at the Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva.
The Israeli Ministry of Health is studying the unprecedented case to verify that the combination of the two viruses does not cause a more serious disease.
“The disease is the same. They are viral and cause shortness of breath, since both attack the upper respiratory tract,” explained Arnon Vizhnitser, director of the hospital’s gynecology department, according to the Israeli newspaper The Times of Israel.
Difference between flu and Covid
Both flu and Covid-19 are diseases caused by respiratory viruses and present similar symptoms, however the viruses that trigger them are different: Covid-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, while the flu It is caused by influenza A and B viruses.
To prevent both infections, pregnant women can receive both the flu vaccine as well as the Covid vaccine. In fact, immunization of pregnant women against both viruses is recommended, since they are more susceptible to serious complications if they become infected.
Flu vaccination is recommended in any trimester of gestation, while against Covid there is no contraindication for vaccination in any trimester of pregnancy, and it can be considered to administer it in the first trimester in high-risk pregnant women. However, as a precaution, gynecologists recommend doing it in a general way from the 14th week of pregnancy.
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In Babies and more | Vaccination during pregnancy: which vaccines are recommended and which ones should be avoided
