Although doctors state that this is a new flu epidemic, the flu-like illness that we often underestimate is quite stubborn compared to the others. Because some of the patients even say that it takes about 1 month. So why?
To put it simply, what caused this situation is thought to be a new flu epidemic. But it’s quite different from other flu epidemics. We researched the reason for this for you and asked an expert.
It’s not like the flu you know because we’re not the same as before.
Every year we grapple with different viruses. As you know, Covid-19 and its variants, which have been in our lives since 2019, were in our lives last year. Getting caught with Covid-19 once can have devastating effects on your immune system. In other words, it leaves you more vulnerable to new viruses that may come from outside.
In this newly emerging flu epidemic, we are going through a more severe disease process as the effects of the viruses that previously entered our body continue. Moreover, the Covid-19 virus is still with us…
Let’s not forget that we are out of the pandemic process.
In the past years, we have all entered a long pandemic period due to the Covid-19 outbreak. We had curfews where we didn’t leave the house for days and weeks. After the bans were lifted, many of us again experienced anxiety about leaving the house and taking off our masks. So we were more protective against the viruses outside.
Nowadays, almost no one wears a mask and everyone walks around as they wish. When we enter a crowded environment, we experience the ‘virus fear’ less. As a result of this, viruses that could not spread before can easily show their effects in environments where there are too many people together.
Moreover, not only the flu virus is circulating around us.
RSV (syncytial respiratory virus) also spreads like Influenza A (flu). It’s contagious, just like the flu, and has almost the same symptoms. However, in recent years, it was not as common as the common cold or flu. In the last few months, there has been a serious increase in RSV cases.
When we say that we have come out of the pandemic process and the effects of overcoming Covid-19 on our body, it was almost time for viruses such as RSV and Influenza A, and of course, many people started to get sick during the seasonal flu process.
The symptoms of RSV are very similar to the flu.
The first symptoms you see in your body when you have the flu are a high fever with muscle and joint pain. However, RSV first shows its effect in the body with dry cough, fever, respiratory tract disorders, runny nose. Although the symptoms of the two diseases seem similar, respiratory disorders in people infected with the RSV virus are more persistent than the flu.
Virologist and Biotechnology Specialist, who has been researching viruses for more than 20 years and known for his informative posts on social media, Dr. According to the information we received from Semih Tareen; There is no conclusive evidence yet that influenza, RSV and Covid-19 viruses combine to form this new epidemic. However, Tareen underlines that more than one virus can combine to form a hybrid virus. Because in the past days, we have seen that RSV and Influenza A viruses create a hybrid virus…
This epidemic, which affects many people around us, may be different for everyone. You may be sick with a new flu virus, a hybrid virus, or RSV. Although many diseases have common points, the best diagnosis will still be determined by your doctor.
So who is in the risk group?
Under normal conditions, flu is more effective in elderly or immunocompromised people. However, in some rare cases, the flu virus can affect young and healthy people in a way that affects their living standards.
One of the best examples of this is that the virus, known as the Spanish flu, has fatal effects on people between the ages of 18-30. Because the Influenza virus that causes us to get sick is constantly changing. For this reason, just because you didn’t have the flu the previous year doesn’t mean you won’t have the flu this year or you’ll get over it. In other words, the risk group may also change with the virus.
Everyone who is 6 months old or older and has no allergies or discomfort should get the flu vaccine.
Dr. According to the information we have obtained from Semih Tareen, this year’s flu virus has just started to show its effect in the Northern hemisphere. For this reason, Tareen recommends that everyone who is 6 months old and above, who has completed the first 3 months of pregnancy, and who is not allergic to eggs and the ingredients in the vaccine, should have the flu vaccine.
If you have had the flu vaccine in the past years, it would be beneficial to get one again this year. Because the vaccines against the ever-changing Influenza virus are renewed every year. Viruses that turned into epidemics the previous year determine the content of this year’s vaccine. That is, the vaccine; It can protect you not only against one virus, but against many similar viruses. However, its effect lasts between 6-8 months.
Unfortunately, we also experienced this disease…
One of the reasons for me to handle the content; I have also experienced this disease myself. In fact, unfortunately, many of our friends that we work with under the umbrella of Webtekno recently got sick in a similar way. Now, I would like to tell you a little about both my own experiences and what my teammates have told me.
The first thing I noticed in myself; it was because I had a feeling of tingling in my throat along with the feeling of weakness and tiredness. Shortly after this feeling, a cough with a slight fever started. The cough and weakness haunted me for about 3 weeks. After a while, I didn’t know if I was coughing because there was something in my throat or if I had a sore throat from coughing.
Those of our teammates who have a similar disease; He states that at first they felt a discomfort in their throat, and then they had difficulty in swallowing. They state that in the following days of their illness, inner ear pain, weakness, joint pain and various cold symptoms began to manifest themselves.
These symptoms that I or our teammates experience may manifest themselves differently in you. For this reason, “It’s just the flu!” We recommend that you do not say that, see a doctor, and get your flu vaccine if you haven’t already. Because the flu seems to appear frequently until March-April. We are already seeing its effects on social media…
In fact, people who have a similar disease are gathered under one title in Ekşi Sözlük.
Many users on Twitter are questioning this ‘constant flu’.
The flu is a disease with a cure. We recommend that you get vaccinated to avoid getting the flu or relapse. So, has anyone in your neighborhood caught this flu epidemic? Do not forget to share what you come across with us in the comments section.
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