I sincerely thank you for continuing to share your knowledge and experience here and sometimes putting up with people who do not seem to appreciate your posts.
A few months ago my neighbors got really sick and they certain that they had Covid. They went to their doctor but Covid tests were not available in this area. So they got flu tests instead and not surprisingly they tested positive for the flu. They said to me, “Thank God we tested positive for the flu and didn't have Covid. If we had Covid we might have died.”
I replied that pneumonia associated with the flu kills a lot of people in their age group every year. I added that just because they tested positive for the flu that this did not men that they would not have also tested positive for Covid if the tests had been available. They replied that this was impossible that you could only have one or the other...
Of course it is not only possible, people's immune systems are relied on to fight off multiple pathogens every day. That is how our systems work. My wife who is a retired nurse and department head... after losing dozens of residents multiple times during her career during flu season at various facilities came to believe that making sure that flu shots were made available to the residents and patients was one of the most important things she could do to keep them safe.
My sister was in a serious car accident the day before yesterday. The first thing they did when she arrived at the hospital was not to give her a Covid test. People are now required get Covid tests when they want to fly somewhere and many are now required to get them to get a job. Everyone with flu symptoms is now being tested for Covid and not necessarily for the flu.
I know two people who became ill this year whose illnesses progressed into pneumonia. They were both fanatical mask wearers who were scared to death of getting Covid. They were both tested for Covid multiple times and the tests came back negative. They were each so relieved with the negative Covid tests. Unfortunately, one of them died.
“The first thing they did when she arrived at the hospital was not to give her a Covid test”
I am sorry I had a typo there... They gave her a test for Covid as soon as she arrived at the hospital.