Another winter, the flu is present and as the days go by, the cases of those affected increase. The return to school after the Christmas holidays and the cold wave of the last days causes the virus to spread rapidly.
Influenza activity is close to the epidemic threshold of 55.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (the baseline level set this year), a situation that is expected to be reached by the end of January throughout Spain, although in some places such as Cantabria, Navarra, the Basque Country and Melilla already The epidemic level has been reached.
High contagion in children
Sick people are able to transmit the disease from one day before the onset of symptoms to about three to seven days after the onset of the disease. Children can spread the flu even for more than seven days after the onset of symptoms.
In fact, children are the first to catch the flu. The highest infection rate is recorded by those from zero to four years, followed by those from five to fourteen.
In Babies and more How to prevent your children from getting sick when it's coldInfluenza A, this year's virus
The flu is an acute infectious disease of the respiratory tract caused by a virus with a high capacity to suffer variations in its surface antigens. That is, every year, new strains appear or the existing ones are modified.
According to the Flu Surveillance System of the Carlos III Health Institute, this season, the virus that circulates mostly is the A (both of the N1H1 / pdm09 strain, 49%, and H3N2, 51%).
The Spanish Society of Critical Intensive Medicine and Coronary Units (Semicyuc) recalls that influenza A increases the possibility "that more patients appear to be hospitalized", and usually generate a higher rate of complicated viral pneumonias.
Of the confirmed serious hospitalized cases of influenza, 96% are influenza A viruses and 4% B. 51% of these serious cases have been registered in the group over 64 years old, followed by 45 to 64 years (27%).
The vast majority of people who get the flu have mild symptoms and are cured with rest, plenty of fluids and fever fever. However, in some cases complications such as bronchitis or more or less severe pneumonia can result. Therefore, especially in the case of children, it is important to see a doctor urgently if the child has difficulty breathing, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, or if the high fever persists.
In Babies and more, the 2018-19 flu season begins: we tell you everything you need to know about the vaccine in children and pregnant womenKeys to prevent contagion
Wash your hands frequently, especially before eating and after being in contact with other people.
Avoid direct contact with sick people, and do not take children to school if they are the ones who are sick.
Teach them to cover their mouths to cough, and teach them to clean their snot and throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect toys and objects that children touch and suck (especially if they are going to touch and suck others).
Avoid sharing pacifiers, glasses, dishes and any object that may have been in contact with saliva or nasal secretions. It is a complicated point, especially in nurseries and nursery schools, but it is important to implement basic hygiene measures to avoid contagion.
Clean and ventilate the house a few minutes every day, go out with the children for a while in the street in open spaces and avoid enclosed spaces with many people.
Healthy eating, exercise and good rest: healthy foods help strengthen the child's immune system, preventing infections. The consumption of fruits and vegetables, especially those rich in vitamin A (cereals, vegetables, meats and dairy products), E (olive oil, nuts, etc.) and C (mainly orange, tangerine, kiwi) should be increased.
Vaccination: Vaccination is recommended primarily for people at high risk of complications if they have the flu (immunocompromised people, elderly people, pregnant women) and for people in contact with these high-risk groups, as they can be transmitted.
Am I still in time to get vaccinated?
The campaign starts around October to be prevented, but you are still on time. The vaccine begins to take effect approximately two weeks after its application, so it should not be delayed in vaccination, although vaccination may continue to be of some use administered later.
In pregnant women it is especially advisable since in addition to protecting the mother, whose risk of needing hospitalization increases by eight, she also protects the baby for the first six months of life.
In Babies and more Tips to prevent the flu in children
