Timely reporting of cases, updates on clinical status, corresponding disposition of patients, the real-time analysis of data and the appropriate dissemination of information are essential for pandemic outbreak-managing decisions. In this case, the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 infection should be considered in all populations with a fever or lower respiratory infection symptoms since it’s difficult to distinguish between seasonal influenza and COVID-19 straightforwardly, and an epidemiologic link is not so easy to be established.
Detecting influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2 in one single test allows the public health laboratories to conduct influenza surveillance and COVID-19 outbreak management at the same time. It will help public health officials to better understand the “twindemic” situation and control the spread of influenza and COVID-19 in the community. It will also assist healthcare workers in managing treatment strategy of the patients. The test will also allow laboratories to conserve important testing materials that are in short supply by processing up to three times as many tests as they can when using the single test kit of SARS-CoV-2.
What is similar between SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza viruses?
They both cause respiratory diseases, which present as a wide range of illness from asymptomatic or mild through to severe diseases and deaths. Both viruses are transmitted by contacts, droplets and fomites.
What is different between COVID-19 and Influenza?
The flu is more likely to appear with rapid onset of illness such as high fever, prominent headache and body aches. In the contrast, COVID-19 may present with slower onset of illness including mild headache, body ache and mild/absent fever.
Bioperfectus COVID-19 Coronavirus and Influenza A/B Virus Real Time PCR Kit is developed on the purpose to efficiently cope with the "twindemic", a simultaneous COVID-19 and flu outbreak. This product provides an overall diagnostic solution for detecting flu A, flu B and SARS CoV-2 all at once to avoid extra work for laboratories. The running time per test takes only 84 minutes to identify three viruses, which has been significantly improved compared with normal assays (120 – 150 minutes).
Reference：
- https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-similarities-and-differences-with-influenza#
- https://www.ynhhs.org/patient-care/urgent-care/flu-or-coronavirus.aspx
