Is Florona a new Covid variant? Symptoms, treatment and all about the new disease

Amidst rising cases of Omicron variant, people are now concerned about 'Florona' disease, which was first reported in Israel last year. While whole world is concerned about Florona, tonnes of infographics and bogus screenshots have been circulated on social media platforms to create panic and distress among people. A number of articles were also published to establish that Florona is a new COVID variant.

So, what is this new term- "Florona" and wher it is a new COVID variant, re till end to know more about disease. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), Omicron variant was last COVID variant that was detected by scientists in South Africa. After that, no such variants were declared by WHO or any or international health organisation. 

What is Florona?

Florona is a condition when a patient contracts both COVID-19 virus and influenza. According to health experts familiar with new developments, a person eir contracts COVID-19 infection first and n contract influenza virus. experts noted condition can be called a "double infection" or "co-infection". According to an Israel-based news channel, country reported its first such case of Florona on December 30, Thursday. report said that a pregnant woman who was mitted to a hospital was first who h contracted disease. Reportedly, woman was not vaccinated for COVID-19. 

Is Florona a new COVID variant?

No, we cannot call Florona a new Coronavirus variant as virus that infects a person is totally different. However, World Health Organisation noted that situation of Florona can be prevented by inoculating vaccines for both influenza and COVID-19. In case of Israeli women, media reports claimed that ly neir h a vaccine of influenza nor COVID-19.

What is similarity between influenza and COVID?

According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, influenza (flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but y are caused by different viruses. In case of flu, typically, a person experiences symptoms anywhere from one to four days after infection. Most people who get flu recover in a few days to less than two weeks, but some people develop complications (such as pneumonia) as a result of flu, some of which can be life-threatening and result in death.

Symptoms of Florona and COVID-19

According to CDC, both viruses share similar symptoms, including cough, runny nose, sore throat, fever, heache and fatigue. Both COVID-19 and influenza are spre by droplets and aerosols when an infected person coughs, sneezes, speaks, sings or breas. People can also get infected with both COVID-19 and influenza by touching contaminated surfaces, n touching ir eyes, nose or mouth without cleaning ir hands. Though scientists noted that re is a significant reduction in influenza cases in recent years.

Florona treatment

As both disease shares similar symptoms, remedies are also similar. Like in COVID, a person infected with influenza also needs to follow social distancing, wear masks and get vaccinated against both COVID-19 and influenza. In India, it is quite common to be infected by influenza during winter season. According to Indian Health Ministry, around 10 million people contract influenza every year. As of now, re is no such vaccine that can prevent both diseases simultaneously. However, a Russian medical research institute said y would initiate clinical trials of mixed influenza and COVID-19 vaccine at end of this year.