Flu is one of the most common infectious diseases. Throughout his life, a person suffers from it and other acute respiratory viral infections many times, since the immunity formed in the body is not stable - only about a year.
Currently, three types of influenza viruses are known - A, B and C. Viruses are not stable in the external environment, but they persist in the air of enclosed spaces for 24 hours. Together with tiny droplets of saliva and mucus, they easily spread when talking, coughing, sneezing, kissing and get into the air. The main places of infection are buses, shops, as well as places of public events - restaurants, concerts, exhibitions. It is enough for one person to be sick to infect a large number of people around him.
The flu is like a volcanic eruption: it starts sharply and ends suddenly. The latent period of the disease lasts 12-24 hours, less often up to 3 days. Symptoms typical for this disease: chills, general weakness, high temperature, fever, dizziness, aches in bones and muscles, sweating, pain when moving the eyeballs, headache in the forehead, possible nosebleeds. Sometimes the flu develops without fever, but in such patients, along with a runny nose and cough, there is a “dull” headache, weakness, and sweating.
A person with the flu is dangerous to others from the first day of illness. Therefore, it is very important that the sick person avoids crowds of people. If a disease occurs, it is better to call a doctor at home. Try to isolate from other family members. Ventilate the room several times a day and wet clean the room with a weak solution of chlorine-containing substances or a soap solution using laundry soap.
Good respiratory protection is a 4-layer gauze bandage or other types of bandages sold in pharmacies. The mask should be changed after three hours. Used masks, if possible, are washed with soap and boiled. If it is impossible to wash, it is recommended to iron with a hot iron, using a humidifier, until the fabric warms up.
The insidiousness of the flu lies in the fact that the virus suppresses the immune system and allows various bacterial forms of the pathogen to enter the body, which cause various complications. The most important rule is not to self-medicate. Antibiotics have no effect on the virus and can cause great harm. Treatment must be prescribed by a doctor.
Prevention measures:
The most effective means of mass prevention of influenza is immunization with influenza vaccines against viruses A and B circulating in the previous winter. The most vulnerable groups of the population should be vaccinated first in order to prevent severe forms of influenza disease, complications, and deaths. In accordance with WHO recommendations, influenza vaccines include strains that are currently circulating among the population and causing epidemic increases in incidence.
In addition to vaccine prophylaxis, seasonal immunocorrective prophylaxis and emergency chemoprophylaxis are used. For this purpose it is recommended to use:
- Vitamins: “Hexavit”, “Revit”, “Dekamevit”, “Undevit”. Fortification of food with ascorbic acid.
- Adaptogens of plant origin (Eleutherococcus extract, Aralia tincture, “Fitalon”, “Fitagor” and others).
- General hardening procedures, spending as much time as possible outside, avoiding crowds of people.
- Preventive ultraviolet irradiation.
For emergency chemoprophylaxis, the following drugs are used: rimantadine, arbidol, human leukocyte interferon, oxolinic ointment, as well as homeopathic drugs.
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