Influenza attacks has followed a pattern of peaking twice a year, once during or just after the monsoons and another in the winter season. With public having to deal with influenza virus twice in a year, doctors feel that it has become mandatory, especially for high risk groups like children and pregnant women, to get vaccinated and observe precautionary measures meticulously.
Senior paediatrician Dr. P. Sudershan Reddy pointed out that public tend to take influenza casually. “Every year a new strain of flu virus becomes active and wreaks havoc. Interestingly every year, WHO also recommends latest viral flu strains that are making the rounds for vaccine preparation. It’s the unpredictability of influenza virus that we should be wary of,” Dr. Reddy said.
Seasonal influenza is characterised by sudden onset of high fever, cough (usually dry), headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and runny nose. While a majority of people do recover from fever and other symptoms in a week without requiring medication, it is the high risk groups who have to be very careful from severe illness.
The former Superintendent of State-run Niloufer Hospital says that vaccination is universally recommended by health agencies. “WHO and Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) recommends annual flu shots. First priority for vaccine should be given to pregnant women followed by children from 6 months to 5 years, health care workers, patients with chronic illness like kidney failure and elderly,” he said.
Influenza-infected children are the largest group to carry influenza infection. “It’s hard to make children practice good hygiene habits. They carry flu infection in their hands and in objects or materials like cloths, utensils etc. In fact, schools and day care centres are transmitters of flu in community,” he said.
The child specialist said that flu virus can be detected in over 50 per cent of the materials a child with flu might have touched in classroom, day care centre or home. “Children have to be taught hygiene skills like washing hands properly, observing cough etiquette and not touching common areas like door knobs etc,” he explained. Taking flu shots before or during monsoons and winter is best, he added.
