With all due respect this is incorrect. Influenza virus and corona virus have very different genomes. They are able to be sequenced. They are entirely separate species.
Influenza is droplet born. Airborne precautions were used against covid. Because many people used the highest level of precautions it makes sense why influenza was very lowly circulated.
There is no reasonable belief that covid was called influenza.
It was WUHAN FLU before
Covid 19,,, Correct ?