• Question: in what ways is covid19 worse than a flu?

    Asked by anon-256869 on 24 Jun 2020.
    • Photo: Cameron Stockwell

      Cameron Stockwell answered on 24 Jun 2020:

      SARS-CoV2, the virus which causes COVID-19 is much easily spread than Influenza and has a higher reproductive value. Additionally, the mortality rate for COVID-19 is much higher than flu, likely because it is such as new disease. Coronaviruses are also capable of genetic reshuffling at a much faster rate, although most of these changes are bad for the virus it adds new challenges for vaccine and treatment development

    • Photo: Rachel Tanner

      Rachel Tanner answered on 24 Jun 2020:

      Hi Alexia, thanks for your question! As Cameron said, the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads more easily between people and people are more likely to get very sick and die from it than they are from flu. Whereas flu kills about 1 in 1000 people who get it, SARS-CoV-2 kills around 30 in 1000. One reason it’s worse is that lots of people already have some level of immunity to the common flu (either from previous infections or vaccines), whereas noone has any immunity to SARS-CoV-2. There is a silver lining for some people though, as COVID-19 is much less likely to affect children and younger people, whereas flu is still quite dangerous for young children.

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