The infectious diseases that circulate in winter and spring are not only the new crown virus, but also other respiratory infectious diseases, such as influenza.
Some friends don't care much about the flu, and may not even realize that the flu is an infectious disease. She consulted me after the flu, and I asked her not to contact the elderly in the family for a while, to avoid going to crowded places, and she first complained to me: I did not have the new crown. I reluctantly explained that don't take the flu seriously, one is that the elderly are too dangerous, and the other is that we still have to avoid passing it on to others.
First, do not underestimate the flu, it will kill people
China's 2006-2019 influenza disease burden is estimated to be 3 million ILI over-outpatient emergency visits per year due to influenza on the mainland, 2.34 million SARI hospitalizations, and 90,000 respiratory disease excess deaths. (See Technical Guidelines for Influenza Vaccination in China (2021-2022))
Influenza mainly threatens the elderly and children under the age of 5, can cause severe illness, and is also a heavy blow to families. In 2018, a "Beijing middle-aged under the flu" brushed the circle of friends, and the elderly in the family were infected with influenza, and finally spent a total of about 600,000 yuan.
In daily life we can prevent this:
(1) First of all, if you really accidentally get infected with the flu, you should wear a mask and keep a distance from the elderly and children at home;
(2) Maintain good respiratory hygiene habits, cough or sneeze, cover the mouth and nose with upper arms or tissues, towels, etc.;
(3) Maintain hand hygiene, wash your hands before meals, after going to the toilet, after coughing, etc., for more than 20 seconds;
(4) Minimize activities in crowded places during the influenza epidemic season;
(5) Keep the environment clean and ventilated.
If you have been in close contact with a person with influenza and have not been vaccinated, you can also use drug prophylaxis within 48 hours after contact, and you can use oseltamivir and zanamivir
Consult a physician for specific doses once daily for 7 days.
Vaccination is the most effective means of prevention, and it is recommended that key groups such as the elderly aged 60 years and older, children aged 6 months to 5 years, pregnant women, family members and caregivers of children under 6 months of age, patients with chronic diseases and medical staff be given priority in influenza vaccination every year.
Second, the comparison between influenza and new crown
I summarized the comparison between the flu, the cold, and the new crown.
According to research:
(1) In patients with COVID-19, comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity are significantly higher; while lung disease and immunodeficiency diseases are more common in influenza patients.
(2) Compared with COVID-19 patients, the incidence of fever, vomiting, and eye, ear, nose and throat symptoms is significantly higher in influenza patients; neurological symptoms and diarrhea are more common in PATIENTS with COVID-19.
(3) Covid-19 patients are transferred to intensive care units with significantly higher frequency and higher mortality rates.