GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Next month, you could start being tested for influenza and COVID-19 at the same time.
So far, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services has seen almost no influenza cases in the state.
“We never know when it’s going to start circulating,” said Dr. Ryan Westergaard, Chief Medical Officer for the State Department of Health Services Bureau of Communicable Diseases.
When the flu does hit, healthcare providers hope a test will be cleared to tell whether someone has influenza A, B, or the coronavirus with a single swab.
Prevea Health President & CEO Dr. Ashok Rai tells FOX 11 the test is going through final FDA authorization.
“Once that is all complete, we’re hoping that is done sometime in November, hopefully by the end of November.”
Like COVID-19, the goal is to keep people from spreading influenza. Rai says that likely means new protocol, beyond the typical instructions for flu cases to stay home until symptom free.
“It’s going to be a similar type of isolation instructions, probably not as long, but we’re going to want influenza patients that are positive to make sure they’re not spreading it as much, as well as spreading COVID-19, because the two together would be dangerous.”
So how bad is flu season expected to be? State health officials say countries in the southern hemisphere usually are a good indicator. Luckily, they’ve had extremely low influenza activity. However, those countries are dealing with high levels of COVID-19.
“The things that we’re doing with physical distancing and face coverings and staying home when you’re sick are highly, highly effective for preventing influenza, even if we don’t do it perfectly,” said Westergaard. “What we’re seeing is if we don’t do those things perfectly for COVID-19, it’s not enough.”
Health officials say testing for both will help. The plan is to do that through the flu season.
Health officials say a main benefit to knowing whether you have the flu is there are anti-viral treatments to limit the length of sickness if treated early enough.
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