A twindemic refers to the possibility of a severe flu season coinciding with a surge in COVID-19 cases. Healthcare providers are concerned that the medical system will be overloaded trying to care for both COVID-19 and flu patients at once. While a vaccine for the COVID-19 is being heavily researched by several companies at this time, there is no confirmed date for the release of a coronavirus vaccine. Conversely, the influenza vaccine is readily available on an annual basis.

The general population, as a whole, is dealing with a surprising “side effect” of the current pandemic: unexpected weight gain. Many people are reporting gains of 10-15 pounds, jokingly referred to as the “quarantine 15”. This unintentional gain is most likely due to the disruption in our daily routine habits, and can have a negative effect on one’s overall health and well-being. For persons with diabetes or other chronic health conditions (such as heart failure, high blood p

According to the American Heart Association (www.heart.org), “People who have Type 2 diabetes, characterized by elevated blood sugar levels, are two to four times more likely to develop heart failure than someone without diabetes”. Furthermore, it is believed that the chronic medical condition known as heart failure may also be a risk factor for diabetes. Medical care must focus on both conditions simultaneously to maximize the overall quality of health while lowering risk fa