Explaining the difference between H3N2 and coronavirus, virologist Shahid Jameel said, "Though both are respiratory viruses, they belong to different virus families – H3N2 is an influenza virus, SARS-CoV2 (the Covid-19 virus) is a coronavirus."

According to pulmonologist Randeep Guleria, "We have had influenza outbreaks since centuries. First in 1918 and then 2009, so we have immunity against the infection." Unlike the coronavirus, which was a new virus.

While India has seen two influenza related deaths so far, the experts said that such deaths were very less and only seen in people with comorbidities.