Flu cases being misdiagnosed as COVID-19

A trending tweet questions whether flu cases are being misdiagnosed as COVID-19, with the tweet claiming it suspicious that flu cases have decreased so much in the current flu season compared to years past. Although the two illnesses have some similarities, swab tests to check for COVID-19 infection are highly specific and it unlikely that the flu would be misdiagnosed in a COVID-19 swab test. Experts also believe that flu cases are down this year because more people have gotten the flu shot and are wearing masks, two protective behaviors that reduce the spread of the flu.

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The Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) was formed in 2020 to coordinate and amplify public health messaging on COVID-19 and increase Americans’ confidence in guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local public health officials.

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