Local efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 are having some positive side effects.
Washtenaw County health officials are reporting there are currently no confirmed cases of influenza within the community, even though February is typically part of the peak of flu season.
Health Department Spokesperson Susan Cerniglia says washing hands, wearing masks, and keeping your distance have all played a major part in preventing the spread of influenza this year.
“That makes sense because those strategies do work, and flu, in this situation, is less contagious when compared to COVID-19, for example,” Cerniglia says.
Cerniglia says the number of people who got a flu shot at the start of the season was also higher than normal this year.
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— Taylor Pinson is a writer/reporter for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him studio@wemu.org