On January 1, La Rioja’s emergency reached its highest peak in incidence and number of visits, with 438 patients cared for, 40 fewer than those registered in the same period last year. Year after year, seasonal flu cases begin to emerge as winter approaches, often peaking in the first few weeks of January, just after the Christmas holiday, when family gatherings and gatherings of friends promote the spread of the virus.
Social isolation and the habitual use of masks brought about by the pandemic have not only reduced the spread of the coronavirus, but also the spread of influenza viruses, among others. On the other hand, the easing of measures and the return to normality has once again strained the health system, with the number of cases remaining at the same level as last year.
“Two things are consistent,” explains Vicente Soriano, an infectious disease expert and associate dean for research at UNIR’s School of Health Sciences. First, there is little remaining immunity in the population, “because we have experienced three years of relative isolation, where we have had little exposure to viruses that commonly cause colds and have not developed antibodies.” Second, vaccination rates among the most vulnerable groups are lower than those for COVID-19. Before the pandemic, “maybe it was because of overconfidence, or maybe because we lost a little bit of fear.”
relaxation
During the epidemic, the public responded positively to calls for vaccination, and the coverage rate was high. “People already know what the worst-case scenario is, as was the case in 2020 with hospitals being locked down, and the feeling now is that this is gone and rarely will happen again,” Soriano said. That means only Sixty per cent of vulnerable people have received a flu vaccine, compared with 75 per cent before the pandemic.
Dr. Vicente Soriano, Vice-President of UNIR “People already know what the worst-case scenario is, what they experienced in 2020, and they have lost their fear”
The province of La Rioja has opened two vaccination days for little ones between six months and four years old, without an appointment. The first vaccination took place on Saturday, January 13, with a total of 145 children vaccinated. The second meeting was yesterday, Saturday. “You know there’s a certain complacency, but they’re not as obedient as they were before COVID,” Soriano continued, also focusing on “deniers or people who are suffering side effects from these vaccines.”
bells
In any case, situations like the one experienced in the past two weeks, where emergency collapses and the need to open more controls and provide more assistance to health centers occur year after year, especially during the winter months when staff levels are significantly increase, to “attend” the elderly or people suffering from decompensation conditions in November, December, January and February,” he recalls. This happens mostly in more developed countries with aging populations.
However, there is a need to influence campaigns and messages that remember the importance of vaccination. For this doctor who specializes in infectious diseases, being more proactive on the issue encourages “all those people who feel more comfortable to get vaccinated;” like mammograms or early detection of colon cancer, reminders can Increase coverage for all vulnerable groups by 20%. “
Personal Responsibility for Future Flu Waves
Seasonal vaccines given starting in October protect against influenza A, while there are almost no cases of influenza B. Dr. Vincent Soriano debunks one of the most commonly heard messages about its effectiveness. “You can get the flu vaccine and the COVID vaccine, but there are twelve to fifteen other viruses that cause respiratory symptoms.” Also remember, in addition to the short-lived and temporary effects of the vaccines, these changes and new variants The same goes for showing up. “Protection will not last longer than six to nine months.” Experts believe that the worst period of the epidemic has passed – the peak of cases was reached on the 15th – “It is logical that starting next week the pressure will will decline,” but a new wave will arrive next year. This is common. “New variants of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and other respiratory viruses will continue to appear: adenovirus, rhinovirus and other coronaviruses,” Soriano warned. The specialist stressed that in addition to vaccines, medicine Advanced, there are antiviral medications, many of which are oral medications whose effectiveness is limited to the first three days of symptoms. “People who feel they are sick should contact their doctor instead of staying at home. And those who have just a little mucus, don’t block it, stay at home, drink lots of water and paracetamol, it will go away in three days. So it appeals to individuals and social responsibility. He advised: “People with symptoms should wear masks, which have been shown to help stop and contain the spread of the disease, and avoid going to crowded places. ”