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Two phrases – “what to do” and “flu epidemic” – are inextricably linked, as they cause in every person’s head a stable association with a threat not only to health, but also to life. According to available statistics, more than 15% of all people living on Earth get the flu every year. In this case, deaths occur in 250-500 thousand cases.
Even despite the fact that WHO has made great strides in the fight against influenza viruses, no one can rule out the possibility of a new pandemic in the coming year. Therefore, all medical workers are seriously concerned about a possible attack of viruses and urge the population to engage in timely prevention of respiratory viral infections.
Influenza Prevention Measures During an Epidemic
Influenza viruses have the ability to constantly mutate, which scientists track and study every year. Given the rapid spread of the infection and due to the fact that the airborne route of transmission of the virus dominates, the most justified measure to combat influenza is vaccination.
Influenza vaccination is a reliable measure of protection against the disease during an epidemic. With the timing when the vaccine must be administered, physicians are determined in each region individually. Most often, this is September and October, since it will take 4 weeks to develop immunity against influenza. If a pandemic has already begun, then a vaccine containing a strain of a particular virus should be introduced as soon as possible for health reasons.
Strengthening of immunity. It is more difficult for any virus to enter the body and harm it if the immune defense is functioning correctly and in full force. In this regard, one should protect immunity by means known to everyone: give up bad habits, lead a healthy lifestyle, eat right, play sports, spend time in the fresh air.
It is important to observe the regime of sleep and rest. Good rest restores strength, enables the body to better cope with any infections.
These simple tips are often very difficult to follow, but changing your lifestyle, a rational approach to organizing free time is one of the most effective measures to protect against infection during an influenza epidemic.
Indoor air quality monitoring. It is known that the influenza virus begins to multiply actively, hitting the mucous membranes of a person. The presence of microcracks on them simplifies the introduction of the virus into cells. Microcracks occur due to the fact that the air in the room is too dry and warm, and this is especially true for the heating season. In addition, these conditions become ideal for the reproduction of the virus.
Therefore, it is necessary to ventilate the room during a flu epidemic as often as possible. If possible, use a humidifier. Clean, cool and humid air that a person breathes naturally increases local immunity and contributes to the formation of additional protection against influenza. At home, be sure to ventilate the room before going to bed.
Wearing a mask. Aerosol transmission of the influenza virus is known to be prevalent. The more people in a closed room, the higher the risk of infection. Therefore, in transport, in the office, in a store, in a kindergarten, at school and other crowded places, you should wear a mask. It allows you to keep the mucus and drops of saliva that a sick person secretes, preventing them from spreading into the environment.
You need to change masks more often, you should not wear one sterile dressing for more than 2 hours. On the street, you can take it off, as viruses live in cold moving air for a few seconds. During a conversation, it is advisable to maintain a distance of at least a meter from the interlocutor.
Compliance with the hygiene of the nasal cavity. In order to reduce the risk of infection, it is necessary to wash the nose after each visit to crowded places. To do this, you can use special solutions based on sea water (Aqua Maris, Aqualor, etc.), or saline.
Hand hygiene. During an epidemic, you need to wash your hands as often as possible. It has been proven that shaking hands increases the risk of infection many times over. The patient touches his mouth, nose, eyes, and then with his hands with particles of mucus and viruses on them touches the surrounding objects, leaving pathogens there.
In this regard, during a flu pandemic, it is advisable to wash your hands with soap and this should be done more often. When this is not possible, an antiseptic gel should be used.
Compliance with the drinking regime. It is extremely important that the body does not need fluid. To fully satisfy his need is quite simple. To do this, you must always have a bottle of clean water without gas in a volume of 1 liter with you. Regular fluid intake will protect the mucous membranes from drying out and create a natural barrier to viruses. Useful drinks that strengthen immune defenses. These are hawthorn infusion, tea with lemon and ginger, rosehip decoction, herbal teas.
Monitor your health. Severe forms of the flu develop more often in those people who have problems with the immune system. At risk are pregnant women and the elderly, small children under 5 years of age due to insufficient formation of immune protection, as well as patients with severe concomitant diseases (asthma, diabetes, oncology, HIV, etc.). Therefore, people with chronic diseases should be especially attentive to their health and treat any exacerbations in a timely manner.
Avoidance of stressful situations. It has been proven that stress contributes to the suppression of the immune system, disrupting the functioning of all organs. The less a person is exposed to stress factors, the higher his natural defenses will be. If it is not possible to avoid nervous overload, then you need to seek help from a specialist and, on his recommendation, take sedatives.
What to do if the infection has already occurred?
If the body temperature rises to high values, weakness, malaise, chills are observed, then you should immediately seek medical help. Self-medication during the flu epidemic is strictly prohibited.
It is necessary to observe bed rest, refuse to go to work, school or kindergarten.
The temperature should be brought down if it exceeds 38-38,5 ° C (more: antipyretic drugs – which is more effective?)
You need to drink as much liquid as possible. This will help to remove toxins from the body, will prevent dehydration against the background of high body temperature.
Important regular hygiene of the nose and throat, which can alleviate the symptoms of the disease, reduce the concentration of viruses on the mucous membranes.
Taking medicines for influenza should not be unreasonable, only a doctor can prescribe any medicine on the basis of an examination and conducting the necessary studies. Some of the drugs can only speed up recovery, some really fight the virus, and some are aimed at eliminating unwanted symptoms. The selection should be carried out on an individual basis, it is not worth spending money on advertised drugs, which often turn out to be ineffective.
If there is a patient in the house, then a separate room should be allocated to him. Rooms should be regularly ventilated, wet cleaning should be carried out, and masks should be observed. All things, dishes and hygiene items for a sick family member must be individual.
It should be understood that it is much easier not to catch the flu than to treat the disease and its possible complications. Therefore, do not give up annual vaccination as the most effective measure to prevent influenza.