A year or so ago we told you that we were in an epidemic because of the influenza virus, the most prevalent being that of influenza A. This year we are already in an epidemic situation in practically all of Spain, but the virus that harmed the most is doing is type B.
As we read in La Sexta, experts say that this year has arrived a couple of weeks before than expected, and has done so more aggressive than in recent years. That's why it might be worth knowing what can we do to prevent it.
Christmas parties have been key
Days before Christmas, cases began to increase and it was warned that this year's vaccine might not be very effective, because it did not incorporate one of the types of virus that was appearing among the population: one of type B.
With the parties, family reunions and the cold (which makes us all stay indoors, with the heating and the windows closed), the virus has taken advantage to spread to exceed 40 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, which sets the bar from which a population is considered to be in an epidemic situation.
This is shown by this map published by the Influenza Surveillance System in Spain, corresponding to the last week of December, where we see that the entire colored part of the peninsula (missing data from the rest) is in red, which corresponds to epidemic.
How can we prevent the flu?
The symptoms are the usual ones: fever, malaise, chills, cough and mucus... and the treatment is symptomatic because it is a virus and there is no drug to cure it.
In a few days the children will return to nursery schools and colleges, and this will probably cause new infections, so it can be useful to know how to prevent them, both from the flu and the rest of the virus:
- Have children wash their hands before eating or putting them in their mouths.
- Avoid touching your nose, mouth and eyes, if possible (and if they are going to do so, let it be with clean hands).
- Avoid direct contact with sick people, and do not take them 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).
- Ventilate the house every morning, go out with the children for a while in the street in open spaces and avoid closed places with many people.
- Have healthy habits: play a little outdoors, eat a balanced diet and rest well at night, as it will help you have a stronger immune system.
And the vaccine?
The flu vaccine It is recommended at pregnant women and also to babies and children considered "risk group" or who live with people who are part of the "risk group". If you want more information about it, you can read the article we published about it a couple of months ago, with the recommendations of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics.
Photos | iStock
In Babies and more | Children who get a flu shot can avoid the needle with the new intranasal vaccine (if they buy it), Tips to prevent the flu in children, All pregnant women are advised to get a flu shot
