A recent article by Yan Xie and colleagues1 presented strong data that COVID-19 is much worse than seasonal influenza.
The researchers observed increased rates of delayed and long-term death and disability in US military veterans who were hospitalized with COVID-19 as compared to those hospitalized with seasonal influenza. The COVID-19 group of patients had a 51% higher chance of death over an 18-month follow-up period. When the researchers analyzed 94 prespecified diseases or disorders, patients who had COVID-19 had an increased risk of acquiring 64 of these adverse outcomes, as patients’ post-influenza had an increased risk for only 6. Except for the pulmonary system, patients with SARS-CoV-2 had an increased risk of developing diseases in various organ systems. SARS-CoV-2 patients also experienced 287 disability-adjusted life years per 100 patients, as those post-influenza experienced 243.