“The system must prepare, and the population must help prevent this.”
The influence of cold on winter epidemics and vaccination is the topic that opened on Tuesday the cycle + Que Salud, organized for the second year by the Official College of Doctors of Zaragoza (COMZ). An issue that became urgent in early January due to the high incidence of influenza and respiratory infections, which forced the donation of masks in medical centers and even led to the creation of double circuits in primary health care, which was reminiscent of the measures taken to combat Covid. .
He Patio Infanta The Ibercaja Foundation welcomed the intervention of doctors Salvador Bello, pulmonologist, and José Ramon Paño, infectious disease specialist, who presented the main winter respiratory diseases such as influenza, Covid-19 or respiratory syncytial virus, as well as its symptoms and forms of transmission.
Both emphasized the importance vaccination and its effectiveness, especially among older people and vulnerable populations. For Dr. Bello, a practicing pulmonologist who headed the pulmonology service at the Miguel Servet Hospital between 2006 and 2023, it is important to maintain a number of habits to avoid the transmission of respiratory diseases, such as washing hands, using masks or ventilating rooms.
The Covid pandemic has pushed other respiratory viruses into the background, which virtually disappeared between 2020 and 2023. This season’s influenza epidemic began in late December last year and remained above epidemic levels until the week of February 5th. “We must take into account the importance of vaccination,” he said. In fact, among older adults, it prevents severe disease in up to half of cases, and also reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Dr. Pagno, a doctor in the infectious diseases service of the clinical hospital, recalled that the epidemic of influenza and other respiratory infections “recurs every year,” but also “the risk of an infection that could cause a pandemic is real… We don’t know when, but it is expected that there will be another pandemic.. “Instead of ignoring this situation, it is more useful to strengthen diagnostic and surveillance capacity and prepare the health system.” “The system must prepare, and citizens must do their part by getting vaccinated and taking preventative measures,” he concludes.
Given the epidemic of viruses and other respiratory infections, he said: “This happens every year, but we don’t know exactly when, for how long and to what extent. Must try to keep the impact as small as possible so that you don’t have to put off attention to less urgent, but very important processes. “It’s everyone’s business: flu vaccination and basic respiratory hygiene during the respiratory virus season.”
Cycle COMZ + Que Salud
The COMZ Commission for Health and Environment is responsible for organizing the negotiation cycle + Que Salud with the aim of raise awareness to the general population about the importance of self-care and how to address underlying health problems.
The second edition of the +Que Salud series will continue three more conversations during 2024. On May 7 next year we will talk about how to keep your sugar, cholesterol and hypertension levels under control; September 24 will talk about the importance of microbiota and how to improve your gut health, and November 26 will talk about oral health prevention and care.