All 2022 We Must Beware of the Omarion Variant and ‘Flurona’

Buckle up everybody because it looks like this year might be a bumpy ride, just like 2020-2021. Just when you thought the second decade of the new millennium couldn’t get any wilder, BAM here comes the “flurona.” 

Flurona, the colloquial portmanteau for a new ailment that allows you to experience COVID-19 and the influenza simultaneously, is steadily gaining a buzz and becoming a concern for a great deal. The overwhelming fear of catching COVID-19, or its variants, is now being compounded by the possibility of contracting the intimidating flurona. 

Although flurona is gaining publicity for practically being COVID-19 2.0, Washington D.C. physician and Yahoo News medical contributor Dr. Lucy McBride explains how it’s nothing of the sort. 

“So “flurona” is not even a medical term, but I think what people are referring to is someone who’s infected with coronavirus and influenza at the same time,” Dr. Lucy McBride tells Yahoo News. “It is not a new variant of the coronavirus. In fact, it’s not new at all that people can get coinfected with two viruses at the same time — in this case, coronavirus and influenza.”

The term “flurona” may not be legitimate medical terminology, however it does accurately describe a real co-infection that can occur within the body—despite the likelihood being low, according to Dr. McBride.

“It’s pretty uncommon to get two viruses at the same time,” Dr. McBride tells Yahoo News. “It’s like lightning striking twice, but of course, anything is possible.”

Certainly catching either the flu or coronavirus is awful, but to acquire them both at once is a complete disaster. Anyone who happens to be unlucky enough to get the co-infection is in for a rough time, however it doesn’t necessarily mean an increased mortality—unless you’re unvaccinated. 

In Peru an 87-year-old unvaccinated woman reportedly died from the “flurona” per the Peru Health Ministry, according to TWC India. 

Thankfully if you’re vaccinated against the coronavirus your survivability against flurona goes up, hence why Dr.McBride encourages everyone to get vaccinated.

“It’s absolutely not ideal to have either coronavirus or influenza, and certainly having both together is not good,” Dr. McBride tells Yahoo News. “But again, I’ll tell my patients what I’m telling you, which is to get vaccinated against both viruses.”