COVID-19 can now be seen as seasonal flu, says expert

By Burcu Calik Gocumlu

ANKARA (AA) – Coronavirus can now be treated as seasonal flu and included in the viral infection group, according to a top Turkish advisor on the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The structure of virus has changed over three years and the possibility of it causing a serious disease has decreased. COVID-19 can now be included in a kind of seasonal flu, viral infection group," said Dr. Sema Kultufan Turan, a member of the board advising Türkiye’s Health Ministry.

While the COVID-19 positivity rate was around 5% in the past weeks, it has increased slightly in recent days and reached 10%, she said. As with all viral infections, this may be due to fluctuations in the pandemic, especially in relation to seasonal changes, Turan added.

"Fortunately, the occurrence of new severe cases has decreased with the structural changes in the pandemic. In other words, the rates of hospitalization and need for intensive care related to the disease diminished," the physician said.

However, "our observations related to COVID-19 and those who are admitted to hospital due to symptoms of the pandemic say that they generally go through a very severe flu infection at home. They usually isolate themselves at home and get through this period. This is what it should be," she advised.

COVID-19 and all other viral infections always bring the risk of serious illness for elderly people and those with additional diseases, Turan said, urging sick people to isolate themselves and wear masks in crowded and indoor areas.

Viral infections usually disappear within two or three weeks in healthy individuals, she said, but warned that if additional symptoms such as recurrent fever and change in secretion quality are added to a disease that initially started as a viral infection, it may actually be a bacterial infection.

"We then recommend that people pay attention to their fluid intake during the illness and support their immune system with healthy foods and vitamins," she said.