Specialist Specialist in Family Medicine at Kosuyolu High Specialization Training and Research Hospital. Dr. Yavuz Mengüç talked about the influenza virus, popularly known as influenza, and ways of protection. Mengüç said, “Especially those with chronic diseases, the population over the age of 65, pregnant women, those with chronic heart and lung diseases, those receiving treatment for blood diseases, pregnant women and children are in the risk group. The most appropriate treatment approach to protect people in this risk group can be achieved by getting the flu vaccine every year.”
Family Medicine Specialist at Kosuyolu High Specialization Training and Research Hospital Specialist. Prof. Dr. Yavuz Mengüç, while making suggestions on protection against influenza virus (flu), emphasized the importance of the flu vaccine, especially with the approach of winter months.
“Influenza causes the death of 250-500 thousand people worldwide every year”
Speaking about the influenza virus (flu) and vaccination, Dr. Yavuz Mengüç said, “The flu vaccine is a vaccine against an infectious disease called influenza virus, which causes 3-5 million people to become ill annually all over the world and 250-500 thousand people to die every year. The influenza virus causes us to get sick constantly due to its structural changes every year. For this reason, we have to get the flu vaccine every year, as permanent immunity cannot be achieved after vaccination. Especially those with chronic diseases, the population over the age of 65, pregnant women, those with chronic heart and lung diseases, pregnant women and children receiving treatment for blood diseases are in the risk group. The most appropriate treatment approach to protect people in this risk group can be provided by us getting the flu vaccine every year.”
“Since the virus is transmitted by droplet, the sick person can spread the disease by coughing or sneezing”
Stating that the virus is transmitted by droplet, Mengüç said, “The sick person can spread the disease through coughing or sneezing. Especially people in the risk group are more seriously affected by this situation. In our country, especially with the winter months, flu cases increase significantly, hospitalizations increase and death cases occur as a result of these hospitalizations. Therefore, since the virus changes its structure every year, it is generally necessary to get the flu vaccine in October-November every year.”
“Even people with no illness should get the flu vaccine every year”
Emphasizing that vaccination should start from 6 months in children and that this vaccine should be administered in two doses 4 weeks apart in children under the age of 8 who have never been vaccinated before, Mengüç said, “In our country, as of October, the Ministry of Health has been administering free vaccines to these risk groups in the vaccination units of hospitals and family health centers. It is also beneficial for people who are not in the risk group to have these vaccinations from October-November. Influenza can cause both hospitalization burden and deaths due to complications that develop after the flu. Not only unhealthy individuals, but even people with no illness should get the flu vaccine every year to protect people in the risk group around them. It is important to create an immune system in the society. The way to do this is the flu vaccine.”
“The virus causes infection with different virus types by showing small changes in its structure every year”
Underlining that there has been a decrease in flu cases with the increase in the use of masks for individual protection with the Covid-19 outbreak, but as a result of the decrease in social awareness on this issue, a serious increase in flu cases has been seen especially in October-November since last year. Prof. Dr. Yavuz Mengüç said, “The virus causes infection with different virus types by showing small changes in its structure every year. When major changes occur in the structure of the virus every 20-30 years, widespread infections, which we call pandemics, occur all over the world. We last saw this in the swine flu pandemic in 2009.”
“The most important method of protection against influenza is individual measures”
Mengüç said that the most important method of protection against influenza is individual methods, “First of all, the habit of hand washing should be acquired. The use of masks is also important, especially for people with flu. It is necessary to associate the mask not only with Covid, but with all respiratory infections; because the transmission route is the droplet route. Anyone who is ill should always wear a mask and change it frequently. When sneezing or coughing, sneeze and cough into the elbow, not into the hand. Since hands are the most common route of transmission, the use of handkerchiefs should be increased and these should be changed frequently. If you do not have a handkerchief, you can cover it with your arm in case of a sudden cough or sneeze.”
“Since the current flu vaccine is inactivated, there is no risk of causing any disease”
Speaking about the side effects of the flu vaccine, Yavuz Mengüç said, “Since the current flu vaccine is inactive (dead vaccine), there is no risk of causing any disease. After vaccination, mild pain or flu-like symptoms in the vaccinated area may last for a day or two, but these are not side effects that require vaccination.”
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