It is the flu season. A number of experts said in a recent interview that the number of elderly patients may increase from December. Moreover, because the elderly generally have many underlying diseases and poor immunity, the condition is more likely to worsen after infection, and the probability of complications is also higher.
Data map: The elderly receive influenza vaccination. Photo by Ge Mengli.
The influenza viruses circulating this year have not mutated significantly
At a press conference held by the National Health Commission on December 2, Wang Dayan, director of the National Influenza Center of the Institute of Viral Diseases of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the influenza epidemic season in winter and spring in China is generally from mid-to-late October to mid-to-early March of the following year, and generally reaches a peak around January.
On November 30, the National Influenza Center of China** released a summary of the influenza epidemic in China as of November 26.
Surveillance data showed that in the 47th week of 2023 (November 20-November 26), the positive rate of influenza virus testing in southern and northern provinces continued to increase, with the A(H3N2) subtype being the main type, followed by the B (Victoria) lineage. Outbreaks of 401 influenza-like cases have been reported nationwide.
Wang Dayan mentioned that compared with last winter, the main circulating influenza A (H3N2) subtype viruses and influenza B viruses have not changed, and they are also consistent with the main branches circulating in most parts of the world.
Influenza in older age groups needs to be of concern
During the flu season, the elderly are a group of people who need to be a concern. At present, some hospitals have begun to pay attention to the changes in the number of elderly people who come to the hospital.
A pharmacist in charge of Chengdu Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine said in an interview with **, "At present, the number of elderly people infected is relatively large, and many elderly people have chronic diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or bronchial asthma. Now the weather is suddenly cold, which is prone to acute bacterial infection, which can lead to the aggravation of the primary disease."
Lu Hongzhou, president of the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen and chief physician of the Department of Infectious Diseases, told *** that due to low resistance, the elderly have many comorbidities with respiratory tract infections, and respiratory symptoms are more obvious and more likely to aggravate. In autumn, when respiratory infections peak, there is a possibility that elderly patients will be infected and seek medical treatment in December. However, the number of patients in his hospital is similar to that of adults, especially the elderly, and there has not been a significant upward trend.
Zhou Zhihui, deputy director of the Department of Infectious Diseases of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, reminded that the phenomenon of false negatives may occur in influenza virus testing, which is related to factors such as insensitive detection reagents and inappropriate specimen collection methods. Especially for the elderly, it is important to diagnose it as early as possible**.
Vaccines remain the most cost-effective means of prevention
At present, it is the high influenza season, and it is still effective for people who have not been vaccinated against influenza before, and it is recommended that everyone get vaccinated as soon as possible. Wang Dayan specifically pointed out that people over 6 months old can be vaccinated against influenza, especially for high-risk groups such as children, the elderly, and patients with chronic diseases, who have a higher risk of severe disease after being infected with influenza, and vaccination against influenza can effectively reduce the risk of developing severe disease and death.
Wang Dayan said that practice at home and abroad has proved that the use of vaccines is one of the most economical and effective means of prevention, vaccines are safe, as long as they are vaccinated in professional institutions as required, they can have good results, especially the elderly and children, should actively vaccinate against influenza, etc., to ensure a normal rhythm of life and Xi learning.
Lu Hongzhou also mentioned that the elderly often have underlying diseases, and should actively control the original diseases, pay attention to physical changes, such as chest tightness, shortness of breath and other serious discomfort symptoms, should seek medical attention in time**. For older people with underlying respiratory diseases, it is recommended to keep a pulse oximeter at home to focus on whether the elderly have dyspnea and decreased oxygen saturation.
*: China News Network.