Prevent the flu

What is it about ?

The flu is an infectious disease that recurs every year and often makes many people sick in the winter. The flu is usually caused by a virus. There are several kinds of influenza viruses (called “strains”). They can all cause the flu, but the severity and symptoms can vary. Some groups of people will be more susceptible to infections, have more severe symptoms, and have complications more quickly. There are 3 major groups at risk:

• Group 1: people at risk of complications:
• pregnant women from the start of the 2nd^e quarter (the 13^e week) ;
• all people from the age of 6 months with an underlying chronic disease eg. chronic lung disease (asthma, COPD, etc.), heart disease, diabetes, kidney failure, liver damage, weakened immunity (HIV, treatment with certain drugs, cancer);
• all people over 65;
• all institutionalized people (in nursing homes, for example);
• young children (6 to 18 months) who need to take aspirin daily.
• Group 2: people working in the health care sector and those who, by virtue of their profession, are more in contact with people who have influenza. Their risk of contracting the flu increases and these people can in turn infect others at risk.
• Group 3: people living in the same house as a person at risk, and those who have a child under 6 months old.

What is its frequency?

Globally, the virus affects 5 to 15% of the population each year and causes the death of around 500,000 people. In the event of an epidemic in our country, between 300 and 1,000 inhabitants out of 100,000 will contract the flu.

How do you avoid getting the flu?

To protect yourself against the flu, the best way is to get vaccinated. Viruses are constantly changing properties, so a new type of flu is emerging every year. Even if you are immune to a particular strain of the flu, you could still get a different one. We are also not sure which of the different strains will be the causative agent (or “pathogen”) from year to year. This is why we make a new vaccine every year. It works against the kinds of viruses that scientists suspect may be causing an epidemic in any given season. This vaccine contains a mixture intended to fight against 3 or 4 strains of influenza. Scientists are currently working on a universal vaccine that is effective against all types of influenza viruses and should only be given once.
Vaccinating the entire population is extremely expensive and above all difficult to organize. This is why we mainly focus on people belonging to the 3 risk groups mentioned above. Of course, anyone who wants to can get the vaccine.

In addition, there are a number of simple steps you can take to reduce the risk of catching the flu and passing it on to someone else:

• wash your hands regularly, especially before and after contact with children or people who have the flu,
• If you come into contact with the flu at work, such as in schools or clinics, consider wearing a mouth mask. This way you limit the risk of getting infected with the virus yourself, and you also don’t let viruses escape into the air when you sneeze.
• regularly clean hard surfaces, door handles and kitchen appliances with ordinary cleaning products,
• put your arm or a tissue in front of your mouth when you cough or sneeze
• use tissues only once.

Isolating people with influenza is difficult to achieve in practice and is not recommended.

Are there also drugs?

There are antivirals on the market, but to date, there is no indication that they have any influence on the course of influenza. Some studies suggest a shortening of the duration of the illness, as long as you start taking the drug within 3 days of infection. But, in general, the person with the flu was infected more than 3 days before noticing the first symptoms. Medications also always have side effects. There are also no strong arguments regarding the benefits of preventive intake (to prevent influenza). This is why the doctor will consider the usefulness of a drug on a case-by-case basis. It may thus be beneficial in an elderly, weakened patient, or in someone with greatly reduced resistance.

Want to know more?

• Vaccination against influenza – AVIQ – Agency for a Quality Life
• Flu: goccin, the true, the false – mongeneraliste.be – SSMG – Scientific Society of General Medicine
• Flu – Vaccination-Info.be
• For the vaccine, I hesitate … Is it serious doctor? – Health question

• Influenza – Sciensano.be

Sources

• Belgian clinical practice guide ‘Prevention of Influenza’ (01.12.2017) – ebpracticenet
• Cough or sneeze without contaminating – Québec.ca – Official site of the Government of Quebec