February is usually the peak of flu season, but so far -- not this year. The CDC reports the flu has virtually disappeared from the U.S., with a record low number of cases. Health officials say restrictions put into place for COVID-19 like mask-wearing and social distancing has helped stop the flu as well.
Nationally, “this is the lowest flu season we’ve had on record,” according to a surveillance system that is about 25 years old, said Lynnette Brammer of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, the state's largest hospital, the emergency department has had zero documented flu cases this winter.
Should wearing masks during flu season be something that is recommended post-pandemic?