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Nurse Saturated Covid or flu: the vaccination campaign and the third doses
Health Differences between coronavirus and common flu: symptoms, transmission, lethality ...
With the arrival of autumn,
the first seasonal viruses appear and with them colds
. With a pandemic that seems to be close to ending, and even more so at near-normal levels,
with hardly more measures than distances and the use of the mask indoors, it
seems that the 'usual' pathogens are regaining their space in our body. One more sign, as experts point out, that precovid normality is closer.
From the Sentinel Network of
Castilla y León it
is pointed out that "
the set of ARI [acute respiratory infections] has tripled in the last four weeks
, mainly due to the increase in the common cold, pharyngitis and acute infections of the
respiratory
tract. upper respiratory tract of multiple location or unspecified location.
A significant increase in bronchiolitis has not been observed
, and the incidence rate of influenza syndrome is below the epidemic threshold ".
Other communities with a similar data collection system also register increases. Like
La Rioja
, in which there are up to
a third more acute respiratory infections in the last two weeks
.
Salvador Tranche
, Primary Care physician and president of Semfyc (Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine), explains that
"with the coronavirus vaccination we now see the competition between pathogens to reach the host
."
And this is reflected in the fact that if there are more people immunized against SARS-CoV-2, it is other viruses that appear on the scene.
"Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between covid and flu, because
the pictures are similar: fever, general malaise, headaches, fatigue
... Then when in doubt we start the tests," says Tranche.
But are there more obvious differences between colds and covid?
Without reaching the seriousness that a SARS-CoV-2 infection supposes, today 'colds', cases of pharyngitis, are beginning to be observed, but with almost no fever. "Nor should we be alarmed, because they
are processes that we have always had
. Only that
our memory fails us
for this anomalous year that we have passed," insists the doctor and explains that "
when we are facing a mild picture of a mild respiratory infection, such as a cold, there is presence of mucus, cough
, there are hardly any feverish symptoms and there are discomfort in the nose and throat ".
The return to normality of seasonal viruses is not only appreciated in Spain
. In the United Kingdom, the Health Security Agency has also registered a rebound in viral cases in which mucus predominates, respiratory problems, in the age groups between 15 and 44 years. So the English doctors have launched the slogan "
stay at home and avoid social contact in the face of this respiratory process
." It should be remembered that the use of masks indoors or in crowded open spaces is not mandatory there.
The GP explains that
there are several reasons
that converge in this year "pay more attention to them." "We are not facing something remarkable, but it can attract attention because
last year the situation was different and people did not go to the doctor
, perhaps preventive measures also do. Although I believe that people are still responsible and use the mask in indoors and when necessary outdoors, "says Tranche.
But
the 'ecological niche' left by vaccination against Covid is
not only occupied by seasonal viruses with an impact on adults, but also on children.
And this means that "
although it has been proven that with the coronavirus children have not been an important vector of transmission, with the rest of respiratory viral infections they are
", explains Teresa Cenarro, pediatrician in Zaragoza and spokesperson for the Spanish Association of Primary Care Pediatrics (Aepap).
This leads us to remember that "when a viral process of this type reaches a home 'by the hand' of a child, the
whole family becomes infected and passes it on
".
"Viral processes in children have come back with great force"
Cenarro acknowledges that
last year "was completely atypical for pediatricians.
The number of cases we saw was zero or anecdotal in some cases." Neither seasonal nor rash infections [systematic viral processes] were seen. "
And in this return to normality, at the beginning of the course we already see the respiratory processes typical of the time.
They have returned with great force", underlines the pediatrician.
Experts point out that
the lack of training of the immune systems
to these types of infections can make their impact is greater.
"Children are immunized based on infectious processes.
Last year many 'skipped' this step and we are facing a significant number of subjects sensitive
to the impact of these viruses," Cenarro highlights.
Therefore, the pediatrician advises to be alert in the return of the respiratory syncytial virus, the person responsible for the admissions of children due to bronchiolitis.
"
Covid may no longer be the most powerful virus and the rest will return to occupy their usual space
."
Masks and distances to avoid any type of respiratory infection
The year of 'forced coexistence' with the coronavirus should serve to better understand
how respiratory viruses are transmitted
. Although it has been agreed that SARS-CoV-2 uses the air environment as transport in search of its 'victim', it is also known that
several respiratory pathogens,
including influenza and the common cold, are spread through infectious respiratory aerosols, They
can float and travel in airflows for much greater distances and for much longer
, infecting those who inhale them.
A study published this August in Science stated this. The exhaustive research, signed by seven authors (José Luis Jiménez, University of Colorado, USA) highlights
how the airborne transmission of pathogens has been greatly underestimated
.
This is due, as they point out in the 'paper' "mainly due to an insufficient understanding about the behavior of aerosols in the air and, at least partially, to the erroneous attribution of anecdotal observations. Given the lack of evidence of transmission by droplets and fomites and the increasingly robust evidence that
aerosols transmit numerous respiratory viruses,
we must recognize that airborne transmission is
much more frequent than previously recognized
. "
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