Meyer also discussed the notion that the flu and coronavirus could meld into one disease, known as \u201cflurona.\u201d He said that while it is possible for a person to contract both the coronavirus and the flu at the same time, they have not melded into one disease.<\/p>\n
But the hospital has experienced patients with simultaneous COVID-19 and flu infections for about a month, he said.<\/p>\n
The tricky part about the paired illnesses, he said, is that remedies don\u2019t always mesh. For instance, a treatment for one might exacerbate symptoms of the other, he said.<\/p>\n
The simultaneous presence of the flu and coronavirus prompts medical staff to determine which ailment is more pressing to the individual, he said.<\/p>\n
The panel revisited the effectiveness of antigen tests. While they are \u201cdecent,\u201d PCR tests are \u201cessentially 100% sensitive,\u201d Laird said.<\/p>\n
Antigen tests are more effective for people who have symptoms, he said. True positive tests are more likely because of high transmission rates. Consequently, false negatives are more likely, especially for people with symptoms.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re using an antigen test, it\u2019s really a presumptive positive or a presumptive result until it\u2019s confirmed with PCR,\u201d Laird said.<\/p>\n
Laird cautioned against using ineffective PCR and antigen tests, but said that the majority of tests on pharmacy shelves are the Quidel QuickVue and Binax Now tests, which he said are fairly effective for antigen tests.<\/p>\n
Sample collection is important. He advised people testing at home to follow all test instructions.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should really suffer that discomfort to get a good sample,\u201d Laird said.<\/p>\n
The panel urged the public to report at-home Binax and Cue test results to CDPHE at covidbinax.colorado.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n