Key takeaways:
It’s possible to get COVID-19 and the flu (influenza) at the same time. People sometimes call this coinfection “flurona.”
Flurona is more common during flu season, when the flu virus is most active. It’s not clear if flurona causes more serious illness than COVID or the flu alone.
It’s safe to get your flu and COVID vaccines (including boosters) at the same time. These vaccines can protect against flurona illness.
As cold and flu season starts up, you may be seeing more reports of “flurona.” Flurona is when someone has both COVID-19 and the flu (influenza) at the same time.
Flurona isn’t an official medical diagnosis. The medical term is “coinfection with influenza and COVID-19.” Coinfections with two viruses happen all the time, especially during months when respiratory viruses are most active.
Both COVID and the flu are respiratory viruses, so it’s possible to get them at the same time — especially during flu season when these viruses have more opportunity to mingle. Here’s how to spot flurona this cold and flu season and what to do if you think you might have it.
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What are flurona symptoms?
If you have COVID, the flu, or flurona, you can experience symptoms like:
Chills
Body aches
Congestion and runny nose
Vomiting and diarrhea
You can even lose your sense of smell from either flu or COVID, though it’s more common with COVID.
How do you know if you have the flu, COVID, or both?
Your symptoms alone can’t tell you if you have COVID, flu, or flurona. To know for sure, you’ll need a COVID test and a flu test. That’s because so many of the symptoms are the same.
You can get tested for COVID and the flu at a healthcare professional’s office or an urgent care center. Some pharmacies may also provide both COVID and flu testing. Many offices offer rapid results on both COVID and flu tests.
There’s also an at-home combination test that checks for both COVID and flu with a single nasal swab: the Labcorp OnDemand COVID-19 + Flu + RSV Test. You can get this over-the-counter (OTC) test for COVID and the flu at a pharmacy without a prescription. You collect your sample at home and then drop it off at a local LabCorp. It takes 1 to 2 days to get your results.
What OTC medications are safe to take when you have COVID? Learn what cold and flu medications can help with COVID symptoms.
Will getting a COVID vaccine cause you to test positive on a COVID test? Here’s why vaccination won’t cause a positive test result.
Is it the flu or something else? Common illnesses that can mimic the flu.
How do you treat flurona?
There’s no specific treatment for flurona. If you have both COVID and the flu, you may need treatment for each virus.
For the flu, a healthcare professional may prescribe:
For COVID, a healthcare professional may prescribe:
These medications can help you feel better faster. They can also help prevent serious illness and complications from these viruses.
But in order to work, you have to start taking them within 1 to 2 days of getting sick. So if you’re not feeling well, don’t wait to see a healthcare professional. The sooner you get tested, the sooner you can start treatment if you need it.
If you have a lung or heart condition or a weakened immune system, you want to start treatment as soon as possible if you have flurona. A healthcare professional may also prescribe additional treatments to protect you from getting severely sick with flurona.
Are flu and COVID worse together?
It’s not clear if a coinfection with flu and COVID is worse than either alone. For a younger person with no health issues, coinfection isn’t likely to be worse. This is based on historical experience with other viral coinfections.
Right now, researchers are focusing on how flurona affects people at higher risk of serious illness. And it’s not yet clear how flurona affects this group.
Studies in mice showed that flurona resulted in more severe lung damage. But the evidence is mixed for humans.
One study of hospitalized people showed no difference in outcomes in people with coinfection versus people with just COVID. Another study showed that hospitalized people with coinfection have a higher risk of dying from COVID. A more recent study showed that people with flurona were more likely to have longer hospital stays than people with just COVID illness. They were also more likely to die than people who just had COVID.
How common is flurona?
It’s not clear how often flurona happens. But there have been reports of it since the start of the pandemic.
The current data on flurona varies. One study showed that only about 1% of people tested positive for both the flu and COVID. Another study, based in Northern California, showed coinfection rates of 20%. And yet another study, from a hospital in China, showed rates as high at 57%.
It’s likely that the exact incidence varies from place to place and from group to group.
What should you do if you think you have the flu and/or COVID?
Get tested for both COVID and the flu if you think you may have the flu, COVID, or flurona. If you have an underlying lung or heart condition, get a test as soon as you experience symptoms.
To avoid spreading COVID or the flu to others, stay at home while you wait for your test results.
Can you get the flu and COVID vaccines together?
Yes, you can get the flu and COVID vaccines at the same time. It’s also safe to get your COVID booster and flu shot together.
Neither vaccine is 100% effective. So, even if you’re fully vaccinated, you may still get flurona. But studies show that people who are vaccinated and still get sick will have milder symptoms. And they are less likely to get seriously sick.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the latest COVID variant, called XFG or Stratus variant, can cause symptoms very similar to the flu. Cough, fever, fatigue, headaches, and body aches are symptoms of both the Stratus COVID variant and the flu.
Your immune system will fight off the virus that causes the flu. But people who are at risk for severe illness may also benefit from taking an antiviral medication to help combat the flu.
Yes, the latest COVID variant, called XFG or Stratus variant, can cause symptoms very similar to the flu. Cough, fever, fatigue, headaches, and body aches are symptoms of both the Stratus COVID variant and the flu.
Your immune system will fight off the virus that causes the flu. But people who are at risk for severe illness may also benefit from taking an antiviral medication to help combat the flu.
The bottom line
Flurona, or coinfection with COVID-19 and the flu (influenza), has been around since the start of the COVID pandemic. With more flu activity this year, flurona is likely to be more common.
Right now, it’s not clear if flurona causes more serious illness than COVID or the flu alone. So it’s a good idea to continue taking precautions like wearing masks, washing your hands, practicing social distancing, and getting vaccinated against both COVID and the flu.
Why trust our experts?
References
Bai, L., et al. (2021). Coinfection with influenza A virus enhances SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. Cell Research.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). Treating flu with antiviral drugs.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Benefits of the flu vaccine.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Getting a flu vaccine and other recommended vaccines at the same time.
Cheng, Y., et al. (2021). Co-infection of influenza A virus and SARS-CoV-2: A retrospective cohort study. Journal of Medical Virology.
Dadashi, M., et al. (2021). COVID-19 and influenza co-infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Medicine.
Garg, I., et al. (2022). COVID-19 and influenza coinfection outcomes among hospitalized patients in the United States: A propensity matched analysis of national inpatient sample. Vaccines.
Kim, D., et al. (2020). Rates of co-infection between SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens. JAMA.
Nachman, S. (2025). Understanding COVID-19 variant stratus: What you need to know.
Sarkar, S., et al. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 in patients with concurrent co-infections: A systematic review and meta-analyses. Journal of Medical Virology.
Wu, X., et al. (2020). Co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 and influenza a virus in patient with pneumonia, China. Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Yue, H., et al. (2020). The epidemiology and clinical characteristics of co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses in patients during COVID-19 outbreak. Journal of Medical Virology.
