The number of respiratory infections is increasing. Doctors note that the peak of this flu season will fall at the end of January, beginning of February. Dr. Hindrovel Dumitra, a family physician and president of the vaccinology group of the National Society of Family Medicine, advises parents not to send their children to the community if they have signs of respiratory infections.

When a child has respiratory symptoms, i.e. rhinorrhea, i.e. runny nose, cough, fever, sore throat, shortness of breath, it is good for parents to leave the child at home. “In fact, leaving the child at home means contacting the family doctor, scheduling a visit to the office, and not taking him to the community,” explains Dr. Hindrovel Dumitra.

Other common signs of respiratory infections, the family doctor adds, are headache, pain in muscles and joints, the feeling that “you have been hit by a train”: “At that moment it is like that the child does not end up in the community, but in the doctor” .

Young children are more contagious

This is very important because, unlike adults who are contagious for about 7 days, children, especially young children, are contagious for almost two weeks. “Why is this happening? Because the replication of the virus is somewhat more intense, and the immune response in children is more specific than in adults. This is an additional reason that, in general, respiratory infections spread mostly in the children’s environment. Especially the flu infection. Because now I mean a flu infection,” adds Dr. Hindroval Dumitra.

Banal seasonal infections, the specialist says, have a slightly lower level of infectivity, which ranges from 2-3 days to a week. “But not as much as with the flu,” says the family doctor.

If the parents have several children, then the patient must also be isolated in the family. “For example, when we talk about the isolation of two brothers, we use different rooms both for sleeping and for daily activities. Also, such hygienic measures as frequent airing of premises – once every two hours – disinfection of surfaces with disinfectants that are familiar to us, washing hands with soap – these are recommendations that can be taken into account.”

Fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins C and D

In addition to them, we also have to take into account the introduction of certain drugs – not necessarily drugs – says Dr. Hindrovel Dumitra: “Let’s call them food products that help us get a viral infection more difficult, and if so, it is easier to tolerate it. These foods are rich in vitamins, especially those rich in vitamin C and D, and of course juicy. Citrus fruits fall into this category – as much as possible – apples and various other fruits and vegetables that are also found during this period.”

You can still get a flu shot

As for the flu shot, it can still be done. “I’ve always said that the best time to get a flu shot is the second half of October and continues through November and December. Even if we are in January, we are certainly not at the optimal time, but vaccination can be carried out. Why do they say that we are no longer in the optimal moment? Because, as we have seen, the number of cases increases, especially in January and February,” the family doctor points out.

Thus, the child or adult should have been protected at the beginning of this month, the expert adds: “Or protection is achieved about two weeks after the administration of the last dose of the flu vaccine – in the case of children who need two doses. So people who can be vaccinated can still get the vaccine because it will take them two weeks to develop their antibodies. During this time they can catch respiratory infections, especially the flu, but after two weeks they will have protection. We estimate that this season will likely peak in late January, early February, or mid-February. Thus, any vaccine administered during this period will protect that person at that time,” concludes Dr. Hindrovel Dumitra.

16 confirmed deaths this flu season

The latest data from the National Institutes of Public Health – the National Center for Infectious Disease Surveillance and Control – released Thursday, January 11, shows that between January 1 and 7, 2024, 72,734 cases of respiratory infections were reported nationally. (clinic of influenza, IAKRS and pneumonia). This represents 29.3% fewer cases compared to the same week last season (102,884) and 35% more cases compared to the previous week (53,870).

At the same time, 4,168 clinical cases of influenza were reported nationwide, compared to 4,629 cases in the same week last season and 3,296 reported in the previous week.

Cases of clinical influenza were registered in 37 districts, the most in the municipality of Bucharest (1,196) and in the districts of Prahova (332), Constanta (292), Timișoara (255), Cluj (236) and Galati (206). .

10 new confirmed cases of death from the flu virus were recorded. Currently, the number of confirmed deaths from the influenza virus is 16, of which 10 are type A, subtype H1, 3 are type A, subtype H3, and 3 are type A without subtype (including 1 coinfection with SARS-CoV-2).

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