This season, “4 to 6 million cases of true flu are expected, plus the flu-like forms of the many less invasive viruses, plus Covid “.
So on SkyTG24, Fabrizio Pregliasco, virologist of the State of Milan, guest of ‘Buongiorno’ underlining that “flu is an underestimated problem, but she hurts too. In normal years it caused 6,000 to 10,000 deaths to suffer “. With the Delta variant, he adds, “the problem this winter will be the diagnoses between Covid and flu.” For this reason, even a healthy adult should be vaccinated. “The third dose can also be received simultaneously.
“What worries us and this is the message of the ECDC, is that since two of the viruses that are circulating are new, they will be able to spread more widely and therefore the effect will be in numerical terms”, says Pregliasco explaining that from the point of view of symptoms the flu “is not more or less bad every year, but it becomes a public health problem with respect to its ability to spread. A winter that promises not to be very pleasant from this point of view” . In Italy, reports the virologist, “we have already received the first reports of the flu from the laboratories. It is a pre-seasonal classic, the real flu again this year we expect it when the temperatures will be low and prolonged. But we are already seeing and suffering forms of flu due to the cousin viruses that this year are raising the crest throughout the Northern hemisphere and in Europe. And they are the appetizer of what we will see “. It is, explains the expert, H3N2 viruses “which fortunately are similar to those foreseen in the composition of vaccines. In this sense – he underlines – we are comforted that the flu vaccination will certainly be effective”. Sudden increase in fever over 38, joint pain and respiratory symptoms are the characteristics of the flu “and unfortunately with the Delta variant all this sadly resembles Covid” and tampons will be needed to differentiate the two forms. For this reason, says Pregiasco, “it is necessary to resume the habit of vaccination against the flu” and “I trust in a wide spread even among healthy adults”, to avoid confusing Covid and flu “which is the problem of this winter” and protect “the smallest children he may have at home or even the most fragile of the family”. It is necessary to inquire with your family doctor and with the territorial structure of reference to plan the vaccination that can be administered in the same session with two distinct inoculations because studies have shown that there is no loss of efficacy and even heavier side effects. “, concludes the expert.
The ECDC alarm on the flu
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