The peak of the flu is yet to come. According to experts, about 20 million people will get sick. Poles. Children and the elderly are most at risk for severe disease. “After the wave of the influenza epidemic, we have a wave of strokes and heart attacks. It happens after the flu, so it’s worth getting vaccinated,” said infectious disease specialist and pediatrician Dr. Lidia Stopyra in an interview with TOK FM.
There has not been such an attack of flu in Poland for several decades. Half of the cases are in children. The disease is caused by influenza viruses types A and B. According to the Ministry of Health, more than 1,600 people are in hospitals due to infection with the influenza virus. Most often, these are patients of internal departments, as well as cardiology departments, who are hospitalized due to complications. Doctors say the number of strokes and heart attacks is on the rise.
“Influenza, even without complications, is usually a severe illness with a high fever and severe muscle or headache pain. Then every sick child should be examined by a doctor - the parent is not able to assess whether the child has the flu or, for example, symptoms of meningitis, ”says Dr. Lidia Stopyra, an infectious disease specialist and pediatrician.
Vaccines protect against disease
According to Dr. Stopyry, the influenza epidemic in Poland is at an early stage. The number of patients is also underestimated because not all cases are registered and not all patients are tested for influenza. Vaccination effectively protects against serious diseases. Only 4 percent of the population has been vaccinated against influenza this year, including healthcare workers. Children are practically not vaccinated against the flu, the expert noted.
“We have vaccinated 4 percent. society, i.e. about 1.5 million people, another 20 million Poles will fall ill. We still have a long way to go,” said the TOK FM expert.
Flu shots are also available for children
Influenza vaccination is safe and effective - it primarily protects against a severe course of the disease. They are available for children and even for babies over 6 months old. They can be given the drug intramuscularly, for children older than 2 years, an intranasal aerosol vaccine is registered.
The elderly should also be vaccinated against the flu.
The elderly should also be vaccinated against the flu. It is in this group that the most frequent complications are strokes and heart attacks, the expert points out.
Source: Wprost
