Though the sudden change in weather comes as a relief for many, it also brings with it a slew of infections and allergies. Especially at risk are those with pre-existing conditions like asthma, experts say.
20 million patients
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), India is home to an estimated 20 million asthma patients. All of them suffer from moderate to severe asthma and hence, experts have said, it really becomes important for them to understand how a common virus can trigger a major asthma attack during the winter months.
Winter is officially the cold and flu season. Cases of common cold, cough disorders and flu tend to increase during these months. Moreover, aerosol from cough can easily spread through moisture in the atmosphere and lead to frequent infections.
Eighty per cent of infections spread through direct and indirect contact. A majority of people are hospitalised with flu and several others bear the brunt of cough, congestion, sore throat and other symptoms of cold, throughout the season.
Dr. K.K Aggarwal, of Indian Medical Association (IMA), said, “When you cough or sneeze, you tend to expel respiratory waste, which can be droplets (larger than 5 microns) or airborne droplets of less than 5 microns; both have different implications. Droplets remain suspended in the air only for a limited period and exposure of less than 3 feet is usually required for human-to-human transmission of droplet–borne respiratory organisms. In flu this can be up to 6 feet. The examples of droplet infections are meningitis, influenza, rubella (German measles) etc.”
Considering home hygiene, in normal house with open windows, there is a constant exchange of air, which prevents spread of infections but in rooms with air conditioners (ACs) with no air exchange, the infections can spread from one person to another.
Hygiene
Doctors add that workplace hygiene is equally important while attempting to prevent the spread of infections, especially during peak winter season. In an office with split AC, if one employee is suffering from any of the droplet nuclei disease, he/she can transmit infection to others. Therefore, patients with confirmed TB, measles, chickenpox and SARS should not be allowed to work in offices with split ACs.
“No precautions need to be taken by a person, who is 6–10 feet away from the patient but if a person is sitting or working even at a distance of 3–6 feet, the non–coughing person should wear a simple mask. In contrast, airborne droplet nuclei, which carry respiratory secretions smaller than 5 microns can remain suspended in the air for extended periods and can infect people who are standing even more than 10 feet away. Patients with such diseases are to be placed in an isolation room and all those who are looking after these patients must use a safe N95 mask,” said an IMA release .
