This year’s flu season is earlier than in previous years. Since the beginning of summer this year, there have been outbreaks of influenza in many southern provinces of my country, such as Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangdong and other places. Influenza Alert.
What is the flu?
Influenza, referred to as influenza, is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by influenza virus. The influenza virus family is very large. According to nucleoprotein and matrix protein, it is divided into A, B and C. , D (or A, B, C, D) four types, of which the main influenza A and B viruses cause human infection and are seasonally prevalent.
Influenza is prevalent and high in winter and spring in temperate regions every year. In tropical regions, it has half-year or year-round periodic epidemics and annual circulation; Influenza virus is antigenically variable and spreads Quickly.
What is the difference between the flu and a cold?
The common cold is mainly in the upper respiratory tract and usually has no or low-grade fever.
Unlike the common cold, influenza infection mainly starts with fever, headache, myalgia and general malaise, and the temperature can reach 39~40℃.
The main clinical symptoms arefever, headache, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, cough, malaise, severe cases may be complicated by pneumonia, bronchitis, acute myocarditis, etc. Or even life-threatening.
Who are susceptible to influenza?
The whole population is generally susceptible to influenza virus, and immunity to the same type of virus is acquired after infection, but the duration is short, and there is no cross-immunity between various types and subtypes, and the disease can be repeated.
Children under 5 years old, elderly people over 65 years old, pregnant women, patients with chronic diseases of respiratory/blood/endocrine systems, and people with a BMI greater than 30, high-risk groups for influenza.
How does the flu spread?
Influenza is mainly transmitted by droplets, and can also be transmitted by direct or indirect contact with mucous membranes such as the mouth, nose, and eyes . Clusters of epidemics are prone to occur in crowded places such as schools, kindergartens and elderly care institutions.
How can I prevent the flu?
1
Most Effective: Vaccination
This is the most effective and affordable way to prevent the flu and its complications, and can significantly reduce the risk of flu and serious complications for those who get vaccinated.
Influenza vaccines approved for marketing in my country include trivalent inactivated vaccine, trivalent attenuated vaccine, and quadrivalent inactivated vaccine.
Citizens can voluntarily receive any type of flu vaccine, and eligible high-risk groups should be vaccinated as soon as possible. Both trivalent and quadrivalent vaccines can prevent influenza infection, and there is no priority to promoteIt is recommended to voluntarily receive any influenza vaccine.
Note:
According to the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing will fully launch influenza vaccination from September 13.
Free flu vaccinations are:
Have the city’s Resident ID/Social Security Card and be 60+ (born December 31, 1962) older people);
All primary and secondary school students in school (including primary school, general middle school, technical secondary school, vocational high school, technical school, work-study school, special education school of domestic and foreign students);
Emergency support personnel for major events recognized by the health administrative departments of each district (including front-line personnel for the prevention and control of the new crown pneumonia epidemic).
2
Wash your hands frequently and wear a mask
Washing your hands frequently is one of the simplest and most important ways to prevent the spread of the flu. Wash your hands in time after going home, touching public items, sneezing, blowing your nose, touching your mouth, nose, eyes, before and after meals, and after using the toilet.
The right way to wash your hands:
Use running water and hand sanitizer/soap whenever possible;
Use disposable paper towels or small disposable towels when drying hands, and avoid public towels;
When washing hands in public places, use a paper towel to close the faucet to avoid secondary pollution caused by contact with the faucet.
In daily life, dry clothes and bedding frequently, and ventilate frequently, pay attention to adding or subtracting clothes according to changes in weather, and wearing clothes when going out to crowded places Mask, and cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
During flu season, try to avoid crowded places.
3
Balanced diet to boost immunity
According to the Diet Pagoda, balanced intake of diet, eggs, milk, fish, etc. can provide high-quality protein for the human body; fresh vegetables and fruits can Supplement the human body needs a variety of vitamins.
We should eat more high-quality protein and vitamin-rich foods to strengthen our immunity.
4
Stick to reasonable exercise
Adhere to moderate and regular exercise for a long time to enhance your ability to resist influenza virus.
How to book a flu shot
Most friends may ask:
What if I cannot get the free flu shot?
Where do I go to get my flu shot?
Partners with vaccine appointment needs
Editorial Team
Editor in charge: Dang Jiaying
Image source: Maker Post