# Will the Covid19 precautions noticeably reduce the flu? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 14, 2020, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-covid19-precautions-noticeably-reduce-the-flu/849488 "2020-03-14T19:01:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-covid19-precautions-noticeably-reduce-the-flu/849488/1 "2020-03-14T19:01:21Z")
It seems like the precautions are the same and it should take a noticeable hit on the flu and some other diseases such as the cold. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-covid19-precautions-noticeably-reduce-the-flu/849488/2 "2020-03-14T20:19:04Z")
I’ve read that it will\*, as well as other diseases spread by the same vectors. \*or at least “should”–depends how may people actually do it. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-covid19-precautions-noticeably-reduce-the-flu/849488/3 "2020-03-14T20:50:06Z")
Not only that, some of the testing may have long term medical benefits. Historically, if you went to your doctor and said “I’m sick”, they said “It is probably a cold, and you probably can’t do anything about it, and you will probably get better in a week”. Which is an unsatisfactory kind of answer. Right now, hospitals are saying: “I’ll test you for flu, and common colds, using available PCR tests, and if you have the flu or a cold, you’ll know what’s going on and we don’t have anything to worry about” To the extent this filters out into general practice, it would lead to a reduction in antibiotic over-prescribing, which is lead by the demand and desire for doctors to just “do something” about unknown illnesses. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-covid19-precautions-noticeably-reduce-the-flu/849488/4 "2020-03-20T21:49:37Z")
I can’t see how there wouldn’t be a reduction in both the flu and colds if people keep up the efforts not to cough and sneeze all over everything without covering their mouths, get into the habit of cleaning their hands more… ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-covid19-precautions-noticeably-reduce-the-flu/849488/5 "2020-03-20T21:58:28Z")
It will, but only for the current flu season. All the cleaning and sanitizing and limiting contact with others won’t make any difference when the flu comes back around next fall. However, if we implement some of the measures we’re taking these days come next fall, sure, it should help. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-covid19-precautions-noticeably-reduce-the-flu/849488/6 "2020-03-21T03:29:37Z")
[They did in Hong Kong](https://www.ft.com/content/ad7ae6b4-5eab-11ea-b0ab-339c2307bcd4): > [@](#): > > ``` > Hong Kong’s extreme measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus, including school closures and working from home, have brought an early end to the winter flu season, suggesting they might also be effective against the new disease, say experts. > > ``` > > Data provided by the government’s Centre for Health Protection show the incidence of infection with influenza had fallen to less than 1 per cent by the end of February, marking an end to the winter flu season, which normally extends to the end of March or into April. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-covid19-precautions-noticeably-reduce-the-flu/849488/7 "2020-07-25T21:17:47Z")
[Covid-19 Measures Have All but Wiped Out the Flu in the Southern Hemisphere](https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-measures-have-all-but-wiped-out-the-flu-in-the-southern-hemisphere-11595440682/)