DeeDee Stiepan | Mayo Clinic News Network (TNS)
Fall and winter are a time when extremely contagious viruses that trigger respiratory sickness often flow into closely in communities. Because many of those viruses can result in critical an infection, hospitalization and even demise, it’s essential to arm your self with methods that may assist stop sickness and maintain you and your family members protected.
In this Mayo Clinic Minute, Dr. Priya Sampathkumar, an infectious ailments knowledgeable, outlines some methods you need to use to maintain you and your loved ones wholesome throughout respiratory virus season.
“Each year we have what we call viral respiratory season where people seem to get colds, and some people get worse infections, including pneumonia,” says Dr. Sampathkumar.
The viruses answerable for inflicting most infections within the fall and winter are influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
One of one of the best methods to supply safety towards these viruses is vaccination. Annual flu pictures are beneficial for everybody 6 months and older.
“The flu vaccine, as you know, has been around for many, many years and is a very safe vaccine,” says Dr. Sampathkumar. “It does do a good job in preventing the most serious complications of flu, which are hospitalization and death.”
Updated COVID-19 vaccines are additionally beneficial this yr, together with a newly accepted RSV vaccine for adults ages 60 and older with threat components for RSV resembling weakened immune methods, frailty or persistent coronary heart or lung illness.
Dr. Sampathkumar says together with getting beneficial vaccinations, avoiding crowded areas, contemplating masking to guard your self in crowded indoor areas, and frequent hand-washing, are different methods to assist get you thru respiratory virus season.
“Then, if you do become sick, make sure that at that point, you do wear a mask to protect those around you. Staying home and not exposing a lot of people at your workplace or elsewhere.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com”