In the two-and-a-half years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the flu has remained relatively inactive in the U.S. That said, the seasonal influenza won't lay low forever. In fact, scientists suspect that the flu is likely to flare up into something serious this fall and winter, increasing the possibility of a so-called "twindemic," or a simultaneous surge in cases of COVID-19 and influenza.
Here's what you'll want to know about this possibility.
Though viruses are active all throughout the year, viral infections — including COVID-19 and seasonal influenza — tend to increase in the U.S. in the fall and winter. The surge is partially thanks to the traits of the viruses themselves and to people's behavior when the weather becomes colder. And while scientists may know when these waves of infections occur, this doesn't mean they are able to prevent them before they strike.
As such, the term ...
