- Those responsible for the Preventive Medicine services of the health group insist on the importance of double vaccination among health professionals and the most vulnerable groups, such as those over 65, immunosuppressed and people with respiratory diseases and cancer patients or on dialysis, among others
- An increase in seasonal flu cases is expected, which since 2020 has a low incidence, as well as an increase in Covid cases with the arrival of winter and warn of an increase in care pressure in the Emergency Department and Hospitalization
Specialists in Preventive Medicine of the Ribera healthcare group They warn that "the risk of a winter with co-circulation of Covid and seasonal flu is high, very likely." With this, says Dr. José Antonio Delgado, head of Preventive Medicine at the Vinalopó University Hospital (Elche), "considerably increases the risk for the vulnerable population and those at risk of suffering serious illnesses and, directly, it will affect the increase in pressure in emergencies and hospitalizations."
For doctor Antonio Valdivia, head of the Preventive Medicine Service of the Hospital de Denia, managed like that of Vinalopó by the Ribera health group, in the current situation this co-circulation of different respiratory viruses, in addition to Covid, "makes a greater volume of consultations due to respiratory infections and possible complications due to simultaneous infection by different viruses in the same person”. Your counterpart in the hospitalRibera PovisaFor his part, Dr. Jorge Cavero considers that "the intensity of both viruses this winter is difficult to determine right now, but it would imply a new challenge for the health system." “There is a set of factors that can complicate the panorama: The possible circulation of strains not included in the vaccine, the change in people's immunity, due to low exposure to the virus during previous seasons and the current state of general health. of the population, which is usually an expression of the social conditions in which they live”, he assures.
Regarding whether the flu virus is expected to be stronger this year, Dr. Delgado explains that less use of the mask and distance, "added to the lack of immunity due to the absence of seasonal flu infections in previous years, can be the reason for a higher flu season, with more severe cases.” Doctor Valdivia, for his part, assures that "it is to be expected that, as in most years, the composition of the flu vaccine will be effective, both to avoid infections and serious complications."
Doctor Valdivia believes that the older population will continue to be vaccinated as before, but not so much those under 60, in whom, he points out, "a more significant rise in the incidence of Covid and the flu can be expected." This is also influenced by the return to schools without masks, which facilitates contagion among children and adolescents and from these, with their families. In addition, he encourages fellow healthcare workers to get vaccinated. In the two weeks of the vaccination campaign, "a lower flu and Covid vaccination is being observed among health workers and social health workers", although he acknowledges that "it is still early days".
The current symptoms of the most common Covid are very similar to the flu or a common cold, "although headaches are more frequently observed, and there is again loss of smell and/or taste in some cases", according to the specialist of the Denia Hospital.
When to go to the health center or emergency room
To try not to saturate the Primary Care centers and the Emergency Department of hospitals, especially in the months with the highest incidence of cases of any of the respiratory viruses, professionals recommend going to the doctor in cases in which high fever persists, despite taking antipyretics, when there is a feeling of shortness of breath and oppression of the chest or abdomen, persistent dizziness, confusion, difficulty waking up, seizures, lack of urine, intense muscle pain, and aggravation of the underlying chronic disease if you have it . In children, lack of interaction, dehydration, bluish color of the lips and with children under 12 weeks, with any febrile picture. And always in the case of people at risk: transplant recipients, cancer patients, with immunosuppressive treatment, primary immunodeficiencies, advanced HIV, dialysis, cystic fibrosis or Down syndrome over 40 years of age.
Among the factors that most influence the proliferation and contagion of these respiratory viruses, those responsible for Preventive Medicine at the Ribera hospitals highlight the conditions of temperature and relative humidity, "in addition to a longer contact time in closed spaces, which facilitates transmission of different viruses in the coldest months of the year”. "During the winter months, respiratory viruses live and replicate better, so when temperatures drop we have more cases," they add. In addition, sudden changes in body temperature, a poor physical/health condition, poorly controlled chronic diseases, and advanced age are the cause that the immune system may have a less effective response against the aggression of these infectious agents, qualifies the Dr. Cavero. To prevent contagion, the recommendations are those that have been repeated so much in the pandemic: carry out adequate hand hygiene and maintain the use of a mask in areas at risk (health or social health centers, pharmacies, etc.), as well as crowded places. especially in enclosed spaces.
