The war against the Covid is slowly starting to conclude, but the double alarm returns, it is appropriate to say, in anticipation of winter. The sfear twindemia, a “twin epidemic” (from the English twins, twins), is around the corner, as it has been in the last two winters. This year could be different: after the two cold seasons spent with the masks on the nose and mouth that have almost made us forget the normal flu, now there is the strongest risk of a double and simultaneous contagion caused by the blows of the tail of the Covid19 and seasonal flu.
Rt index rises
“Also this week the number of Covid cases in our country tends to increase and the incidence is around 441 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants. The Rt also increased, rising to 1.18, therefore above what is considered the epidemic threshold. The occupancy rate of places in the medical area is also growing, we are at 8.2%, and in intensive care at 1.8%, which in any case is below the critical threshold “, he says. Giovanni Rezza, Director General of Prevention of the Ministry of Health.
Twindemia alarm
Se in The wave of infections continues in France and England at a fast pace, but which in any case does not arouse alarm, the danger is twindemia, or twin infection caused by Covid and seasonal flu, especially in the fragile categories and the over 60s. In autumn and winter we may encounter multiple simultaneous infections “caused by different viruses respirators. Often a double infection leads to a more severe course of the disease and also an increase in mortality, “he explains Christian Wiedermann of the Institute of General Medicine and Public Health of Bolzano.
“In England, double viral infections have been detected in about 8% of patients who have contracted Covid. In cases of this type – continues Wiedermann – the risk of having to mechanically ventilate patients doubles”.
In the past fewer seasonal influences
“Wearing masks and maintaining interpersonal distance drained the pelvis in which the flu virus develops. Precisely for this reason it has not been able to spread in the usual way. Our immune defenses have had less contact. These contacts, in addition to vaccination, contribute to our continuous immune protection “, explains Wiedermann who underlines:” To this is added another fact: since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic fewer people have been vaccinated against the flu virus “.
Lost our immune protection
“As a result, an additional part of our immune protection has been lost. Therefore I highly recommend the flu vaccination this fall,” says Wiedermann. “The vaccination also protects against the ‘Australian’ variant of the flu. People over the age of 65 and particularly people with chronic diseases have a greater risk of a serious course of the flu especially after a double contagion from Covid and flu “.
Maintain prudent behavior
“Given theincrease in the rate of spread of the virus it is good to continue to maintain prudent behavior and complete the vaccination cycle especially for frail people and people over 60 ”, concludes Giovanni Rezza, Director General of Prevention of the Ministry of Health.
(Unioneonline/EC)
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