Medical personnel can differentiate flu from coronavirus

While COVID-19 cases in the country continue to rise, Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony has said that medical personnel here are capable of differentiating the flu from the novel coronavirus.

The minister made these remarks during his daily COVID-19 update on Thursday. This comes as there have been a number of reports of persons being infected with the common influenza alongside the ongoing pandemic.

Dr Anthony stated that while there are more persons reporting fevers and flu-like symptoms, it is important to note that there is also a flu going around. “There’s also a flu that is going around and we have to differentiate what might be flu and what might be Omicron or the coronavirus so we have to make those distinctions.”

According to the minister, there are medical personnel in every region who are capable of making those distinctions and in the case of COVID-19 and Omicron, they have tests to confirm whether it would be a suspected Omicron infection or not.

“If there is any child or teacher, or member of the public for that matter who feels that they have flu-like symptoms and they would want it to be further investigated, they can come to any one of our medical facilities and I’m sure the doctors there would be able to make that distinction and prescribe the relevant treatment,” the health minister advised.