It's a change compared to last year, when T exas saw a dra matic drop in fl u cas es d ue to COVID-19 prec autions .
Hill Powell , interim e xecutive d irector of the no n profit The Immunization Partnership, e xplaine d th at Texans h ad fewe r chance s of being e xposed to the flu last seaso n.
"People were quarantined, virtual learning, a lot of people were in their homes instead of in the offices, people were wearing masks,” she said.
With fewer people masking and physically distancing, state officials say flu cases could rebound. Powell sa id both viruses spread easily from person to person.
“They have similar symptoms, both symptoms include fever, chills, cough, difficulty breathing, and you can still have that people see with COVID."
That’s why she says it’s important for people to get vaccinated against both the flu and the co ronavir us.
"We're seeing now that especially with the delta variant, it's really worsening the outcomes with unvaccinated pregnant women, and so it's important for every adult and for every child who can to get their flu shot and their COVID shot to do so, and this includes pregnant women."
Vaccines lower the risk of severe illness and hospitalization from both COVID-19 and the flu.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gifttoday. Thank you.
Got a tip? Email Galilee Abdullah at Gabdullah@KERA.org .
Copyright 2021 KERA. To see more, visit KERA.