You’ll be spoiled for choice this season: Australian InfluenceCovid-19, Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The symptoms can be similar: cold, cough, sore throat, body aches… In short, what virus did i get? In this period it is hard to tell, given that many of those currently in circulation have a very similar “face” in terms of the symptoms they cause. Covid-19, Australian flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection: these are the top leaders at the moment from the point of view of infections, in addition to the common cold, which can be caused by many different viruses. Based on information disclosed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some media including the New York times they elaborated some useful diagrams to orient yourself with respect to which of the pathologies just mentioned we could have. be careful though, it is not a diagnostic tool he is alone specific test I can give one reliable answer. Furthermore, as the experts of the European Center for Disease Control (ECDC) point out, it is the simultaneous spread of all these viruses that threatens to put pressure on our hospitals. Therefore, if for covid-19 we are now used to isolating ourselves in case of positivity, also the other pathologies are not to be taken lightly, especially if we are in contact with fragile subjects.
What kind of virus?
Il social distancing it has meant that our immune system is not challenged very often in the last two years: this is one of the reasons why we are at face a peak of infections caused by different pathogens. But what symptoms can viruses currently circulating cause? Let’s start from similitudes: common cold, flu, covid-19 and RSV infection can everyone present with symptoms such as cough, headache, fever, stuffy nose. Vomiting and diarrhea they would be instead more frequent in the case of flu or covid-19while improvising and completing it loss of sense of taste and smell it is characteristic of the latter and should be clearly distinguishable from the attenuation of these senses which often occurs even when we have a simple cold. With regard to il Rsvis most often symptomatic in children, while adults can contract it asymptomatically or develop mild symptoms related to the upper respiratory tract, such as rhinorrhea, pharyngitis, cough. In small children and infants, however, this virus can cause more serious diseases such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Precisely because the lower respiratory tract is affected, the so-called may appear in children “rattle” or gasping for breath.
Aside from the symptoms, the incubation period that precedes their appearance can be another useful element for making distinctions. L’influenzafor example, can also appear already 24 hours after contact with a sick person, while for the covid-19 this period goes more frequently two to five days. However, as we said at the beginning, theonly way to really find out which of these viruses we contracted is undergo a specific testalso available as a home kit for covid-19, while only as a laboratory test for other viruses.
Let’s not just deal with Covid
As anticipated, the European Center for Disease Control (ECDC) points out that it is the co-circulation of all these viruses that risks putting health systems under pressure. “The festive season at the end of the year – declares Andrea Ammon, director of the ECDC – it is associated with activities such as social gatherings, shopping and travel, which carry significant additional risks for the transmission of RSV and other respiratory viruses. The strengthening health systems and supporting health workers should be prioritized due to the risk of severe pressure on our health systems in the coming weeks and months. Also there vaccination against flu and covid-19 should be a priority among at-risk groups”. As for the community, the good practice suggested by the ECDC are always the same: reduce as much as possible contacts in case of illness, wash frequently the manicontinue to use the masks, ventilation adequately closed spaces ed avoid crowded public spacesalso favoring the telework when this is possible.