Mutant virus: Doctors issue early warning for influenza vaccination

Last season’s flu epidemic had baffled health practitioners with at least 35 deaths

ISLAMABAD: With at least 35 deaths reported in Punjab during last winter, seasonal flu has become complex with smog season in winters, compelling medical experts to issue early warnings.

Doctors have suggested that influenza vaccination was the best method for preventing seasonal flu before the fall season, as the number of seasonal flu cases was increasing with each passing day.

In January, when the flu epidemic was at its peak, health experts had expressed their astonishment over the severity of the spell across the country.

Therefore doctors have urged parents to get their children vaccinated against flu.

“Parents must brace themselves and keep an eye on their young ones, because the flu season has arrived,” said child specialist Dr Huma Baki.

At least 35 people died of flu during November 2017 and January 2018, according to official figures.

She stressed that parents in particular must be extra cautious, as children are often the greatest victims of the flu.

She advised parents to keep their sick children at home, noting that schools can be dangerous incubators for viruses.

“Parents must not send their children to schools when they have the flu, because their child can easily spread the infection to others and the child’s illness can also rapidly increase and become worse,” she noted.

Dr Huma said the most common symptoms of the flu are fever, body aches, pain in throat, runny nose, sneezing, fatigue and headaches. Abdominal upset, loose stools and vomiting are also common in children.

“These viruses are always in the environment and in the air, but whenever they find a suitable environment, which is humidity and winter, they rapidly spread.” Winter is the season for cold and flu, so people must keep warm, she advised.

The number of cases would have decreased if people had taken their vaccinations at the right time, she mentioned.

Dr Huma said that children, pregnant women and chronic lung and heart patients were the most vulnerable during the winter season.

A specialist in respiratory medicine Dr Javed Ikram said, if these symptoms were not treated properly, it could lead to lower-tract infection, laryngitis, bronchitis, lungs infection and pneumonia, which could become fatal for the patient. Influenza is a viral disease and it could spread from one person to another.

He explained people should not involve in self-medication practice, adding that antibiotic should not be used in any viral disease and people should get treatment from qualified doctors only.

“Flu can spread from one person to another at school, workplace, home, by coughing, sneezing and even “touching the door handle. Patients need their symptomatic medication and will need to drink plenty of water because the flu causes dehydration,” he highlighted.

However, he warned parents to look out for complications of the flu, including pneumonia. “More than 50 per cent of the time the flu can be controlled with medication, taken rest and drinking a lot of liquids.”

He also recommends taking the flu shot each year. “Anyone who is older than six months can take the flu vaccine before the flu season, which begins from September to January.”

He said that the vaccine was also recommended for children over the age of two years. “It becomes more important for school-going children since they are exposed to germs,” Dr Javed said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 7^th, 2018.