COVID Precautions Severely Diminishing Flu Cases

The precautions many people are taking to limit the spread of COVID-19 is having another beneficial effect according to Chelan-Douglas Health Officer Dr. Malcolm Butler.

"We've seen almost no influenza this year. Fingers crossed, I think we're going to see a very light flu season. What we have seen in my clinic is that essentially everybody who comes in with fever, cough, cold, achiness; they have COVID. We haven't seen anybody who has come in with other problems."

Dr. Butler says the number of flu cases is usually at its peak around this time of the winter, but not so this year.

"As a physician, I have always felt that influenza was the biggest, baddest infection we had to cope with, but we've found we can wipe it out. We can do so by using masks, distancing and washing our hands."

Butler says despite that, we are still dealing with high COVID numbers, but that might be because if you have the flu, you'll have symptoms and take precautions. That is not the case with COVID.