Why it's a good idea to get the flu vaccine for countries that are about to enter the winter

May 27, 2020 /
PRNewswire
/ As the southern hemisphere approaches winter, virologists are concerned about the upcoming flu seasonThis could lead to more people needing medical care, including hospitalization, while the health system continues to struggle with coronavirusThis may make it more difficult to control pandemics, turning the situation towards the benefits of SARS-CoV-2, particularly in Africa, where the number of cases has so far been the lowestmany other respiratory viruses are spreading throughout the yearBut the flu virus is deadlyInfluenza epidemics occur in late autumn and winter in the southern hemisphere - between May and August - as well as during the tropical rainy seasonmost people with influenza have only mild symptoms: fever, cough (usually dry cough), headache, muscle and joint pain, severe discomfort (feeling uncomfortable), sore throat and runny noseBut the flu can also lead to more serious illnessesThis includes lower respiratory diseases, such as bronchitis or pneumonia, that cause breathing difficultiesThese conditions may require hospitalization, even fatalitythese symptoms are very similar to those caused by COVID-19This year, it could cause extra anxiety and stress on the health care systemThat's why everyone is advised to getfluIt will not protect people from COVID-19 infections, but it will reduce flu-related diseases and effectively relieve the pressure on health services during this pandemicPicture: CDC, Frederick Murphy
COVID-19 and influenzapeople over 65 years of age are most at risk and may die from influenza or COVID-19Influenza can also cause serious illness in young childrenThis is different from COVID-19, which has so far had few deaths of children under the age of ninePregnant women and people with HIV or other immunosuppressive diseases are at high risk of serious illness or even death from influenzaPeople with potential health conditions may also suffer from more severe COVID-19thus, the fatality rate of COVID-19 (1%-5%) was higher than that of influenza (less than 0.5%)But in winter, the flu can infect up to a third of the populationSeasonal influenza kills between 100,000 and 600,000 people worldwide each yearIn South Africa alone, 11,500 people diedSo, at a time when COVID-19 seems much more severe than the flu, why does the annual flu season worry us?First, we want to avoid going to the doctor as much as possible during the COVID-19 pandemicThis will relieve pressure on the health care system and help patients avoid exposure to COVID-19 infections, thus avoiding the risk of influenza and COVID-19 co-infectionLittle is known about the severity of COVID-19 and other virus-like infectionsBut a recent report suggests that a co-infection of influenza and COVID-19 can lead to more severe illnessins in high-risk patients and complicate diagnosis this further underlines the importance of of the influenza vaccine Pneumococcal vaccines can also reduce the number of bacteria secondary infections that can cause complex diseases, especially in children and the elderly So who should be vaccinated? the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that people at high risk be vaccinated every year These include pregnant women, children between 6 months and 5 years of age, persons over 65 years of age, people with chronic diseases, such as people living with HIV, patients with heart disease or lung disease, and health workers most countries provide free vaccines to these high-risk groups People of all ages will benefit from the flu vaccine However, if vaccine stocks are insufficient, priority should be given to high-risk groups However, myths and questions about the of flu vaccine influence people's decision to vaccinate or not These issues must be addressed: (1) How do we know that the flu vaccine matches the strains that are prevalent in our seasons? influenza vaccine includes three flu subtypes that are spreading globally at the same time Every year, the World Health Organization's global network of national influenza centres collaborates to identify the most common influenza strains circulating in the northern and southern hemispheres These strains are then used to produce specific vaccines for each hemisphere in time for next year's flu season Every year, the influenza strains may mutate or genetic variation In most cases, however, the strains in the vaccine are very close to the current prevalence and protect most, if not all, of the strains in the vaccine will the (2) flu vaccine make you sick? No, the flu vaccine only contains dead flu viruses, so it won't let you get the flu The flu vaccine is produced in eggs and killed to make a vaccine Some people who are allergic to eggs may react to egg protein and should not be vaccinated, but this is rare Is mercury in the (3) vaccine really toxic? in the past, a preservative called thiomersal has been used in vaccines containing trace amounts of ethyl mercury It differs from methylmercury, which is found in some fish and can be poisoned if consumed too much However, due to public concern, thiomersal was removed from all vaccines in 1999 (4) I've been sick after I've had the flu vaccine before other viruses, such as rhinovirus estovirus or respiratory syncytial virus, can also cause infections with the same symptoms The vaccine has about 50-70% of its effectiveness in preventing influenza However, if you are still sick, or if you are infected with another virus at the same time, the flu vaccine will still reduce the severity of the disease flu vaccine does nuns can't protect you from COVID-19 But by preventing influenza, people can avoid unnecessary medical treatment and protect vulnerable groups from potentially more serious diseases (BioValleyBioon.com) References: Why Getting a flu shot is good idea in the countryies head heading winter 2 Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report - 93
3 ? COVID-19 Co-infection SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza A Virus in Patient With, China
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