ARVI or coronavirus? – MK

How to protect yourself from illness this season

The deeper into autumn, the worse the epidemiological situation in the country. According to Operational headquarters, from September 18 to September 24 in Russia, the number of hospitalizations of coronavirus patients amounted to 2,328 people and increased by 18% compared to the previous week. At the same time, an increase in the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 was noted in 74 subjects. The situation with influenza and ARVI is not much better. Yes, on 37th week of this year The number of patients with ARVI and influenza in the country as a whole has also increased. Epidemic thresholds for the incidence of influenza and ARVI throughout the population were exceeded by 20% or more in at least 35 large cities. To avoid getting sick, experts recommend following universal preventive measures and listening carefully to your condition.

Russians also need to be on alert because of the new strain of coronavirus, which Rospotrebnadzor recently reported on. According to the sanitary departmentthe COVID-19 variant BA.2.86, or “Pirola,” is more contagious than its predecessors.

“The new coronavirus variant (BA.2.86) Pirola has a number of additional mutations compared to previously identified Omicron variants, and is more infectious than its predecessors. Updated vaccines created specifically for the Omicron variant are effective in reducing severe forms of the disease and the number of hospitalizations,” the press service said.

Experts remind that the latest strains of Covid are no different in symptoms from other viral infections. It can only be diagnosed using PCR tests, but large-scale testing is no longer being done since the end of the pandemic. That is why it is important that if you feel weak, unwell, lack of strength, fever, or you have been in contact with someone who is sick with coronavirus, you should immediately start taking direct-acting antiviral drugs. It is desirable to have a wide spectrum of activity and be well tolerated.

“Antiviral drugs play an important role in the treatment and prevention of acute respiratory viral infections. For example, just last month an article by Chinese scientists was published in the leading highly rated medical journal Immunity Inflammation and Diseases [“Арбидол: текущий спрос, стратегии и противовирусные механизмы” -прим. редакции], which summarizes the array of data on the drug Arbidol across all information databases. The analysis showed that this drug is an etiotropic drug with direct antiviral action, which has a wide spectrum of antiviral activity against influenza viruses A, B, coronavirus, including the new SARS-CoV-2, and other respiratory viruses,” commented Professor, Doctor of Biological Sciences , Head of the Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Federal State Budgetary Institution Niivs named after. I. I. Mechnikova RAS Irina Leneva.

In addition to taking antiviral medications, Rospotrebnadzor recommends following and universal measures to prevent influenza. ARVI and coronavirus:

– lead a healthy lifestyle (good sleep, balanced diet, physical activity);

– give up bad habits (smoking, alcohol abuse);

– regularly consume foods containing large amounts of vitamins and minerals (fruits, vegetables, onions, garlic, cranberries, etc.), which help strengthen the body’s defenses;

– dress according to the weather, avoid hypothermia and overheating;

– avoid contact with persons showing signs of illness;

– reduce the time spent in crowded places and on public transport;

– regularly and thoroughly wash your hands with soap and treat them with a skin antiseptic;

– carry out wet cleaning, ventilation and humidification of the air in the room;

– at the first signs of illness, call a doctor at home.