2023-12-15 12:30:00
A new study has revealed that, like Covid-19, influenza can also have serious long-term consequences for hospital patients. The study, led by Ziyad Al-Aly from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, compared the health development of patients admitted to the hospital for either Covid-19 or flu over a period of 18 months.
The research, published in the journal “The Lancet Infectious Diseases,” found that both Covid-19 and flu patients faced a lower risk of serious health problems in the acute phase of the infection, but the risk of long-term consequences was significantly higher for Covid-19 patients.
The study also introduced the term “Long Flu” to describe the long-lasting effects of the flu, similar to “Long Covid” which has been used to describe the long-term consequences of Covid-19.
The study did not focus on the frequency of Long Covid or Long Flu in hospital patients, but it did highlight the increased risk of long-term health problems for Covid-19 patients compared to flu patients.
In the 18 months examined, Covid-19 patients had a 51 percent increased risk of dying compared to flu patients. They also faced higher health risks in nine out of ten organ systems examined.
Al-Aly stressed the importance of recognizing that viral infections like Covid-19 and flu can have long-term impacts on human health, emphasizing the need for increased awareness among healthcare professionals.
He also emphasized the importance of vaccinations in preventing disease progression and reducing the risk of hospitalizations and deaths. Al-Aly called for governments and health systems to prioritize vaccination rates, particularly for vulnerable populations such as older people and those with weakened immune systems.
The study’s findings highlight the need to address the long-term consequences of flu and Covid-19 and to prioritize vaccination efforts to protect public health.]
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