Seasonal flu 2012-2013: when to expect it and what to do?

"Flu", translated from the Greek word "grippa" - to grab - is a viral infection that puts us out of action for at least a week. Every year, doctors try to invent new flu vaccines, and every year the insidious virus changes its properties - old vaccines no longer work on it. Therefore, the seasonal flu 2013, as doctors believe, will still strike many. If you are currently suffering from flu symptoms, this article can help you better understand what to do about them. For those who are not yet exposed to the harmful virus, it will be useful to learn how to protect yourself from the seasonal flu.

Read also: Flu 2014: Know your enemy by sight

The 2012 Flu Season – An Element of Unpredictability

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu season is generally unpredictable, although epidemics occur every year. For the most part, flu season comes around the world every year, and in the fall, it gets worse and we spend more time sick in bed.

This year in Ukraine, as doctors believe, there is very little time left before the peak of the general flu. And at the same time, when the population knows for sure that the flu will come - this year a million residents of Ukraine have already fallen ill - only 1% of people who take special care of themselves get vaccinated against the flu. It is worth noting regarding the 2013 flu season that by the end of November the flu may come into force en masse. Usually, the largest number of signals about the incidence of flu are recorded from the Luhansk and Kiev regions.

According to preliminary data from doctors, the most "popular" strains of flu this year will be "Wiskinson" and "Victoria". They already attacked people last year, but doctors expect them to attack in the 2013 season as well.

World flu 2013 is already coming to us

We can see the emergence of flu in every corner of our planet, even in tropical countries this disease is a frequent guest. According to preliminary medical forecasts, in the Northern Hemisphere, including the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, Russia and other regions north of the equator, the 2013 flu season will last from November to March.

In the Southern Hemisphere, including South America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and other places south of the equator, the flu season will run from May to September (this happens every year). This 2013 season will be no exception. In tropical areas, people may also be susceptible to the 2013 flu virus, but it will be less seasonal, that's all.

On average, 200,000 Americans are hospitalized each year due to seasonal flu. The lowest number of Americans killed by flu between 1976 and 2006 was 3,000 per year. Most flu deaths in recent years have been 49,000 per year. Most of those who have died have been children, older adults, or patients with weakened immune systems or other medical problems, such as chronic illnesses in the acute stage.

Flu epidemic 2013

The 2013 flu epidemic, according to WHO analytical reports and EDC statistics, is just beginning its march around the world. In Europe, the first country where the 2013 flu epidemic was officially recorded in January was Norway, another 11 countries provided information on the average intensity of the disease, and about 14 countries provided data on the number of people sick with flu approaching the epidemic threshold. Research shows that this year almost half of the population is affected by the A virus, which in turn is divided into the A(H3) strain - about 51% and the strain considered the strongest and most dangerous, A(H1N1) or "swine flu" - almost 49%, the second half of humanity suffers from an attack of the B virus. A study of the strains identified in the first month of the new year shows that the virus is resistant to the antiviral rimantadine group - Algirem, Polirem, Remantandin and is more active than the strain that affected people in the same period of time last year, when the rather weak and inactive H3N2 virus prevailed.

Flu 2013 in Russia

Flu 2013 in Russia, according to forecasts based on analytical, statistical data for previous years, will be more active and widespread - a relatively weak strain A H3N2, which "visited" the country last year, will be replaced by the infamous virus A H1N1, which is called "swine flu". The epidemic situation throughout the country for the period of early February 20130 remains pre-threshold, the standard 20% has not yet been exceeded, but the number of people seeking medical help and the number of confirmed flu diagnoses is steadily growing, moreover, in some regions, quite complex epidemic situations have already been recorded (Bashkiria - exceeding the threshold level by 67%). The peak will be the end of February and the beginning of March, then the virus will gradually begin to give up its positions. All strains that have already been identified epidemiologically are familiar to Russians; those who had influenza A H1N1, A H3N2 a year or two ago have retained their immune activity and protection, and the number of people willing to undergo preventive vaccination, which is recommended by the WHO as the only effective way to combat influenza and form group immunity, has increased.

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Flu 2013 in Ukraine

Influenza 2013 in Ukraine is only beginning to approach the threshold epidemiological indicators, the peak of diseases, according to forecasts from specialists of the Institute of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases, as well as the head of the state sanitary supervision, will fall on the last ten days of February and the beginning of March. In addition to the return of the "old" friend - the A H1N1 virus, which raged in the winter of 2009, cases of influenza A/H3N2/Victoria have already been recorded. Also, the B/Wisconsin virus, unfamiliar to Ukrainians, has been identified, to which an adequate immune response has not been developed due to its novelty, and there is also no effective vaccine that effectively counteracts this strain. However, despite the attack of three types of flu at once, the predicted situation is not alarming and threatening:

• Many people have developed a strong immune response to the A H1N1 virus,
• For other types of flu, the only reliable protection available today is prevention through vaccination.

The newest third-generation vaccines include three WHO-recommended strains, the vaccination efficiency reaches 85-90%, the immune response is developed within 10-14 days - this is exactly the period that will be enough for the immune system to adapt if you get vaccinated now, before the predicted peak of influenza diseases in early March.

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Flu 2013: High-Risk Groups

The risk groups for flu in 2013 are primarily people who work in crowded places: conductors, teachers, hairdressers, etc. Also at risk of getting flu this season are those who have a weakened ability to fight serious chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease. Among these people are many elderly people over 59 years of age.

Experts tell us that there are certain symptoms that, if we notice them, we should see a doctor.

• If you have difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• muscle pain or headaches
• pressure in the chest or abdomen
• sudden dizziness
• vomit
• or if you think your flu has gone away but then comes back, you should contact your doctor immediately to avoid complications.

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Flu Symptoms 2013: What You Need to Know About the Enemy?

Fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, body aches and pains, dizziness, confusion, fatigue, malaise, or even diarrhea in some people - these flu symptoms can knock you out cold. When you experience them, you may have the regular flu, or the seasonal H1N1 flu, or possibly swine flu.

You may experience any combination of these symptoms, either in whole or in part. And even if you experience all the symptoms of the 2013 flu, including fever, it may not be the flu, but a cold.

Symptoms of flu 2013 are typical of the general clinical symptoms of the virus:

• A rapid increase in primary symptoms in the first day - a sharp jump in body temperature, sometimes up to 38-39°C, fever, chills;
• Growing aching headache;
• Aches and pains in muscles;
• Dryness and irritation in the throat, which is not typical for tonsillitis, without pain (a bacterial infection is accompanied by pain);
• A dry, tense cough is possible on the second or third day, then the cough, descending into the bronchi, may become “barking”;
• General asthenia, weakness;
• If the virus penetrates the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, diarrhea is possible.
• Hyperemia of the skin and eyes is possible as a reflex response to viral intoxication.

Symptoms of flu 2013 may be individual, depending on the initial condition of the patient at the time of infection, but they can be combined according to the following signs:

• Flu with a moderate course of the disease - general weakness is observed, body temperature rises to 37.5-38 °C, all muscles and joints ache and there is a headache.
• A severe form of influenza – hypertoxic – is accompanied by hyperthermia up to 40°C, convulsive syndromes, vomiting and skin hemorrhages.

What is the difference between a cold and the flu?

The difference between the flu and a cold is that they are caused by different viruses. However, their symptoms are very similar. In general, medical experts write that a person with flu symptoms will feel worse than with cold symptoms. Fever, body aches, extreme fatigue, and a dry cough can greatly affect our ability to work. In addition, if a person ignores the symptoms and does not take care of themselves, the flu is likely to lead to additional, more serious problems, such as pneumonia, possibly even hospitalization.

Flu has another difference from the common cold: it can become a pandemic. We all remember how the World Health Organization declared the H1N1 swine flu a pandemic in 2009. People all over the world get colds, all the time, but they are never declared a pandemic.

How to treat flu 2013?

How to prevent flu this 2013 season?

There are two important ways to avoid the flu in the coming season. It is not too late to get vaccinated (this is done before the end of November, the first days of December can also be used for vaccination). Every year, starting in early autumn, both state and private clinics offer flu shots. In large cities, special vaccination centers have been created at clinics, where anyone who values their health can go for free vaccinations.

This is done so that a person not only avoids catching the flu, but also protects others from this disease. This is called "herd immunity".

And the second way to protect yourself from the flu is to maintain personal hygiene, wash your hands with soap often, wear a medical mask in crowded places and take multivitamins to strengthen your immune system.

And then the 2013 flu season will pass you and your loved ones by!