With the arrival of winter, the flu outbreak in the country increased, causing alarm among health authorities. While in San Juan there was also an advance and impact of respiratory infections among the population. The Ministry of Health said about influenza cases that the curve rose rapidly, with a growth of between 30 and 40% of cases in less than a month. At the same time, it is striking that what is happening in San Juan is a co-circulation of viruses, that is, the coexistence of several viruses circulating at the same time, between covid, influenza and bronchiolitis.
A few days ago, local health authorities took stock of the progress of the vaccination campaign in an autumn whose temperatures had winter characteristics due to the polar wave that occurred in the country.
In San Juan, almost half of the people in the risk groups were vaccinated against the flu. Although the provincial Ministry of Health stated that the numbers are encouraging, they highlighted that it is important to continue immunizing people, especially taking into account the striking way in which the infection curve is growing in the province.
>Importance of vaccination
In that sense, vaccination against flu is important, so it is necessary for San Juan residents to go to health centers to get vaccinated, mainly older adults and children under 2 years of age.
Regarding the immunization figures handled in the province, the authorities reported that, “since the beginning of the campaign, on March 21, 85,500 doses were administered.” They added that “taking into account that the number of people who make up risk groups in San Juan is 185,380, immunization has thus reached 46% of them. In other words, it is above the average of several jurisdictions at the national level.”
>Risk groups
The authorities reported that citizens can go to health centers and complete the vaccination card if they are in the risk condition groups.
The risk groups for influenza illness are: infants under 24 months, children from 24 months to 8 years with comorbidities, essential personnel (Security Forces), pregnant women, people over 65 years of age, health personnel and people suffering from influenza. comorbidities.
It should be noted that seasonal Influenza A mainly impacted children and older adults, who are the most vulnerable to this virus. It is important to note that this variant is not the same as influenza A (H1N1) that caused the pandemic in 2009, Health said.
>Virus co-circulation
A worrying factor is the co-circulation of several respiratory viruses in the community, which further complicates the health situation. The simultaneous presence of different pathogens increases the risk of complications and requires greater attention in case detection and management.
>Symptoms
Common symptoms of influenza A include cold, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, cough, general malaise, muscle pain and high fever. It is crucial to watch for signs of respiratory distress, as they can indicate serious complications that require immediate medical attention.
>A social commitment
“Handwashing saves lives,” says the World Health Organization (WHO). It is necessary to reinforce this behavior and make it a strong habit at this time, especially when arriving home after being at work, school, public transportation or meetings in closed places. We must also take into account the experience with the covid-19 pandemic, so you must have alcohol gel at all times.
The authorities recommended “not touching your face with unsanitized hands and the use of a mask in open places is not recommended. However, when a person with symptoms of respiratory diseases goes to the doctor, to respiratory diseases clinics or to the emergency room for consultation, they can use it. This is to take care of the people who are there and who came for other pathologies. In this way, infections of viral circulation diseases are avoided.”
In conclusion, it is necessary to reinforce health centres and take maximum precautions among the population to stop the spread of this type of virus that is ravaging the country and the province.
By Jose Correa
CUYO’S DIARY
