Strong wind, snow in the mountains, storms on the Tyrrhenian Sea. With the sharp drop in temperatures that has affected almost all of Italy, a surge of colds awaits us, with the risk that they can be confused with suspected Covid cases. And since schools, perhaps out of caution, are sending children home for too a simple sneeze or a temporary stomach ache due to the urgent need for evacuation, Monday could turn into a field day. So the following weeks. TOwe will have at least 100 thousand cases of flu-like forms estimates the virologist of the University of Milan Fabrizio Pregliascor. From 4 to 8 million Italians will be affected, as every year, by the “cousin viruses” of the flu which give precisely similar symptoms, but tend to be milder. There are 262 viruses of this type compared to 4 of the actual flu. They frequently strike during this period, before the actual flu arrives and, in general, just when the temperature changes begin, they are very common in schools.
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Symptoms that can get confusing
In this year of pandemic, even trivial symptoms such as a slight cough, cold, fever will create alarm and a possible overload of the laboratories for the execution of swabs with serious consequences on the surveillance system. the first test: let’s start the battle of winter comments the expert. These flu-like forms, the more mundane will be more challenging. A single symptom can alarm the fear of the coronavirus and trigger the need for a differential diagnosis, calling into question the individual pediatricians and family doctors who will have to assess the need for a swab. The problem represented by symptoms: colds and nasal congestion are present in 7 to 35% of Covid cases; cough from 38 to 80% of cases, while fever from 40 to 80% and it is easy for illnesses of this kind to suspect a Covid infection and trigger all measures to expel from school. (How to try to distinguish Covid, cold, flu)
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What we risk with sudden changes in temperature
Abrupt changes in temperature can cause colds, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, hoarseness, flu, headache, especially in children, the elderly and people with severe chronic diseases (who are physically weaker people). Usually diseases affecting the respiratory system. Therefore, it is not so much the heat or the cold that makes us sick, but rather, the sudden heat or cold that catches the organism unprepared, which does not have the time to adapt to the new situation.
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Try to reduce the thermal shock
So what to do to avoid getting sick? Try first of all of keep the temperature between the outside and the inside as balanced as possible. Besides the temperature it is also important to adjust the humidity rate in environments, which should always be around 40-50%. In addition to this, clothing also has its own influence precisely because the climatic fluctuation is so sudden that we are often not dressed properly. Not surprisingly, in order not to get caught off guard, it is ideal to dress like an onion, that is, a sweater with a sweater, a light anorak for the evening. In this way you are ready to abandon the golf and jacket if necessary, but you are equally ready to wear them again if needed.
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The flu vaccine does not protect against flu-like syndromes
Since the symptoms are similar between flu, flu-like syndromes and Covid-19, we must not lose clarity. Typically, i virus parainfluenzali – continues Pregliasco – they present with fewer symptoms, even one, and resolve within a few days. The real flu, on the other hand, tends to travel with intense and prolonged cold, therefore more likely from December onwards. The flu vaccine, according to the virologist, could be very helpful this year. However, it will not protect us from “cousin viruses”. For this – he observes – in the presence of fever, cough and cold, even if vaccinated against the flu, it is not necessary to immediately think about Covid-19. The good news is that regardless of the vaccine or not, a milder flu season is expected this year. At least according to what happened in the southern hemisphere: mask, hand washing, distancing, that is all the prevention measures against Covid-19, will also be useful for the prevention of flu, concludes Pregliasco.
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September 26, 2020 (change September 26, 2020 | 15:21)
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