news-lead">After the New Year in Russia, the incidence of influenza began to grow. The symptoms are fairly easy to confuse with those of the coronavirus, as in both cases the upper respiratory tract is attacked.
Twindemia on the doorstep
Russian doctors recorded increase in the incidence of influenza and SARS. Already in the second week of 2022, the epidemic threshold began to rise significantly in 46 regions of the country. Among those who fell ill with influenza and acute respiratory viral infections, people of all age groups were noted.
More than 68.5 million Russians were vaccinated once morest the flu – 46.9% of the country’s population, experts noted Rospotrebnadzor. There is a serious tweendemia threat – Coronavirus together with SARS can attack the human body simultaneously and with a vengeance.
About this development of events, doctors have already EU countries have been warned. Doctors suggest that an outbreak of influenza and coronavirus infections might lead to a large number of cases, an excess of patients in clinics, and a lack of places for new patients.
You can avoid infection
Infectious disease doctor Yuri Vengerov explained to 360 that there are not so many pure respiratory infections. They are always combined with each other, and this aggravates the course of the disease.
“Their symptoms are easily confused with covid ones, because the same respiratory organ is affected – the upper respiratory tract. The throat is red, and no matter what the virus is – maybe there are a dozen of them. It is differentiated only in the laboratory. That is why they are united in the ARVI group – acute respiratory viral infections, ”said Yuri Vengerov.
According to him, in fact, Russia is already experiencing a twindemic of coronavirus and influenza. At the same time, the international influenza surveillance service constantly registers the emergence of new variants of this virus. In accordance with this, the structure of influenza vaccines changes every year – they are adapted to new options.
“Vaccinations will help not only the vaccinated themselves: if the vaccination rate of a certain size, over 80%, then the likelihood of infection will, of course, decrease. And this will help end the epidemic,” said Yuri Vengerov.
You can get vaccinated once morest flu and covid
Immunologist Vladimir Bolibok, in a conversation with 360, said that the combination of several viral infections poses a serious danger. Although some experts have always questioned whether it is possible to get flu and covid at the same time. In theory, yes.
“In practice, such cases still occur, but very rarely. The symptoms are quite similar: fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose. This is typical for all acute respiratory viral infections, and sometimes only virological studies can identify which virus has attacked a person,” Vladimir Bolibok said.
He recalled that an influenza epidemic in Russia has not been officially declared, so it is too early to talk regarding a twindemic. If it is influenza combined with coronavirus, vaccination will help people, since it is possible to get vaccinated once morest both infections, and you can even be vaccinated at the same time.
