Covid precautions worked for flu.
During 2020, the United States was in lockdown, and during much of the flu season , people were taking precautions against COVID-19 — wearing face masks, frequently washing hands and physically distancing. Major transmission routes for the flu, including public schools and professional buildings , remained closed, and restaurant and retail capacities were restricted.
As a result, flu cases were dramatically low. Public health and clinical laboratories reported 2,038 flu cases during from Sept. 27, 2019 to April 24, 2020. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu season generally experiences up to 45 million illnesses, 810,000 hospitalizations and 61,000 deaths during its peak, between December and February each year.
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