Covid and flu co-infections ‘a lethal combination for NHS’

CORONAVIRUS could combine with influenza this winter to cause a superinfection that doubles the length of a hospital stay compared with Covid alone, scientists have warned.

A report from the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag) said that people who had contracted both viruses in UK hospitals needed 16 days of treatment on average, compared with seven days for those just with Covid.

The Nervtag document warns that social distancing has reduced the circulation of all respiratory viruses, and owing to waning immunity, the next influenza season would be worse than usual. “Co-infections with Sars-cov-2 and other respiratory viruses are expected to occur this winter, with the potential to place pressures on the NHS and care services,” the report warns.

“We recommend that individuals with symptomatic respiratory infections self-isolate, even if they receive a negative test result for Sars-cov-2, as this will reduce respiratory virus transmission and potentially societal burden.” The report said clinical symptoms of flu and Covid were similar, and advised that laboratories test for both.

Hospitals should also instigate control measures to avoid cross infection, and influenza testing should be introduced into emergency departments to prevent transmission on the wards.

Minutes released on Friday from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) show that government scientists believe co-infection with both viruses “represents a significant challenge” this winter, and said it was vital that people stayed at home if they were unwell, even if testing negative for Covid.

Vaccine manufacturers have already warned that the flu jab may fail to protect people this winter.

In 2015, a mismatched flu vaccine contributed to the largest spike in mortality in a generation, when 28,189 excess deaths were recorded.

The Academy of Medical Sciences said a potential surge in respiratory viruses this winter could push the NHS to breaking point, and warned that between 15,000 and 60,000 people could die of flu this winter.