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COVID-19 Mitigation Measures Can Reduce Incidents of Flu and other Infectious Diseases

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COVID-19 Mitigation Measures Can Reduce Incidents of Flu and other Infectious Diseases

Key Points:

  • In today’s Recommendations for Industry, we discuss how COVID-19 risk mitigation measures can help reduce incidents and spread of influenza and other infectious respiratory diseases. Read more below.
  • The NYT talks with workers in essential industries expressing their fears and concerns, feeling as “sitting ducks”, with the lifting of mask requirements, especially given customer reactions as they interact with workers.
  • President Biden has announced the next month-long push for COVID-19 vaccination, with hopes to achieve at least a one-dose vaccination rate of 70% for the U.S. Some incentivization include: (a) “shots in shops” which hopes to “turn barber and beauty shops in predominantly Black neighborhoods into vaccine sites”; (b) continuing to provide free vaccine appointment rides via Lyft and Uber; (c) free childcare for parents getting vaccines at YMCAs; (d) increasing hours and access to vaccinations at pharmacies (e.g. Walgreens, CVS, etc.); (e) “Anheuser-Busch […] offering free beer to Americans who post pictures of themselves with vaccination cards on social media before July 4”. Additionally, many states and regions are increasing their own incentivization including tickets to games, lottery, and educational initiatives. [CIDRAP / NPR]
  • Bahrain is encouraging residents “over 50, are obese or have chronic illnesses” to receive a Pfizer booster vaccine”, especially if the resident has received a Chinese vaccine.
  • There have been two (2) billion vaccine doses administered worldwide. In terms of equity, “the world’s 27 wealthiest countries have administered nearly a third of all shots, despite being home to only 10 percent of the global population. In the U.S., 89.4 doses have been administered for every 100 people, compared to 1 dose per 100 people living in sub-Saharan Africa”.
  • While COVID-19 cases decrease in the U.S., other countries are seeing higher and increasing case rates, including in Afghanistan, Hong Kong, and Vietnam.
  • Germany continues its fight against the increase in fake COVID-19 vaccine certificates.
  • VOX explores the 6 reasons that U.S. individuals are not getting vaccinated, these reasons include: (a) lack of access (real or perceived); (b) feeling that COVID-19 is not a threat; (c) fear of vaccine side effects; (d) lack of trust in the institutions; (e) lack of trust in vaccines; (f) conspiracy theories.

Recommendations for Industry

COVID-19 Mitigation Measures Can Reduce Incidents of Flu and other Infectious Diseases

Studies from the disease control and prevention centers from both the US and China have found that pandemic protective behaviors, such as masking and social distancing, not only helped reduced transmission of COVID-19, but also that of the seasonal influenza in 2020.

  • The study out of China found these non-pharmaceutical interventions reduced influenza in China by 79% and in the U.S. by 67%, suggesting that these results can help inform longer-term disease prevention efforts for influenza and other seasonal viruses.
  • The CDC-published study showed a 98% decrease in influenza activity as measured by percentage of specimens submitted to US clinical labs that tested positive during September 29, 2019–February 29, 2020 and March 1–May 16, 2020. Additionally, the influenza rate over the summer 2020 showed historical lows.
  • As also reported in the second study, influenza data reported to the World Health Organization’s FluNet platform from three Southern Hemisphere countries that serve as robust sentinel sites for influenza from Oceania (Australia), South America (Chile), and Southern Africa (South Africa) showed very low influenza activity during June–August 2020, the months that constitute the typical Southern Hemisphere influenza season.

As is indicated by both reports, the use of the mitigation measures initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to help reduce (or, along with vaccinations, even prevent) the spread and impact of influenza – and other respiratory illnesses – in the coming seasons. As such, TAG recommends that businesses consider implementing such measures in their infectious disease plans, particularly for those with signs of respiratory illnesses and/or when these rise within your community or business.

If you have not developed an infectious disease plan, give TAG a call. We can work with you to help protect the health of your workers and your business.

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