Influenza competes with the Covid virus

A significant increase in patients with influenza type A and B, which currently exceeds those of Covid-19, is being registered in the consultations of pulmonologists in the country.

Patients come to the doctor’s office with various symptoms, including cough, fever, chest pain, general malaise, muscle aches, nasal congestion, and when the diagnostic test is done, many are positive for influenza A or B, and if there are doubts, too that of Covid-19 is applied to confirm or rule out the virus.

This was revealed by the pulmonologist Plutarco Arias, president of the Dominican Society of Pulmonology and Thorax Surgery, and former Minister of Public Health when consulted by Listín Diario.

Arias said that these tests to confirm the diagnosis of influenza should be covered by Social Security through the ARS because, in the end, the cost of treating pneumonia is higher.

“We have many cases of Influenza B these days. They have increased considerably despite the use of the mask, that is why the use of the mask and frequent hand washing is so important because this type of virus is deposited on any surface when the affected person coughs or sneezes and infects whoever and wherever they touch,” said the specialist.

He noted that influenza is a very contagious virus, so the highest recommendation is to get vaccinated, especially for patients vulnerable to age and diseases.

Remember that in vulnerable people, the virus can lead to severe diseases such as pneumonia, and in those who suffer from obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, emphysema, cancer, diabetes, hypertension and are over 65 years old, in addition to being vaccinated, they should not neglect the use of the mask and hand washing.

He recalled that the influenza vaccine is available in the country for these vulnerable groups both through the government, which is applied free of charge, and in the private sector through specialist offices, and that, in case of presenting symptoms of the virus, do not stay home and go to the doctor.

He said that when a person gets pneumonia from the flu, treatment costs are high.

Variants Covid-19
Likewise, the newly elected president of the entity that groups pulmonologists said that it is important to maintain the epidemiological alert against the new variant of coronavirus, given the data provided by other powerful and economically developed nations in the face of its impact and given its ease of contagion that is indicated is from one and a half to three days.

Arias pointed out that, although a high degree of lethality has not been determined, people must get vaccinated because they become a pillar of the first order for prevention. “We are a direct witness that the vaccinated usually arrive in better condition and are easily managed on an outpatient basis when they have the disease.”

Go to the doctor
The renowned pulmonologist said that another vital action is the presence in the doctor’s office as soon as possible, to rule out the disease because it is not only Covid 19, “but we have a high number of influenza A and B, typical and seasonal of these times of autumn and winter.”

He said that the concept of immunological escape by the vaccine is not proven, so he called on the population to continue vaccinating and to comply with the protocols of the Ministry of Public Health to continue having an open and fluid economy and continue with the low fatality rate shown by the country.

Young people are more contagious.

Within the surveillance of the Covid-19 risk groups that the country has established, those under 20 years of age are the ones that continue to contribute the most significant number of infections, the system capturing 45,849 positive cases since the beginning of the pandemic.

New Covid Cases
Yesterday, 162 new positive cases of Covid-19 and 1,404 instances of active contagion were registered.