Why is influenza contagious in winter?

Influenza is a respiratory infection caused by the influenza virus. The spread of influenza occurs strongly in winter when low temperatures, starting in October, peak around December to February of the following year. So why is influenza contagious in winter?

1. Influenza overview

Influenza is a respiratory disease caused by influenza viruses when they cause inflammation in the nose, throat and lungs. The disease can progress from mild to severe and can occasionally lead to death. The best way to prevent influenza is to get vaccinated – annual flu vaccination.

The flu differs from a cold, it appears suddenly with symptoms from mild to severe. Influenza patients often face the following symptoms:

  • Fever or chills
  • cough
  • Sore throat
  • Runny nose
  • Body muscle aches
  • Headache
  • tired

Some patients have vomiting and diarrhea, although this symptom is more common in children than in adults. It is important to keep in mind that all flu patients have fever.

malaria

Some flu symptoms

2. The spread of influenza

Influenza patients can spread to others at a distance of about 2 meters. Many experts believe that the spread of influenza occurs mainly when the influenza virus spreads to the surrounding environment from small particles of substances when the person coughs, sneezes and talks. These droplets of secret secrety can fall into the oral mucosa or nose of people standing nearby. In a less common way, a person can become infected with the flu by touching a surface or object containing the influenza virus and then touching their nose, mouth, or eyes.

Influenza patients are most transmitted about the first 3 to 4 days after the on onsle of the disease. The majority of healthy adults can infect others only about 1 day before the onsle lasts up to 7 days after symptoms have expired. Children and those with weakened immune systems can extend the duration of infection longer than 7 days.

On average about 2 days after the virus enters the body, the person will begin to appear clinical symptoms. This means that influenza patients are likely to infect others before they are detected. Some people are infected with the influenza virus but have no symptoms. During that period, these people can still transmit the virus to others around them.

sneeze

Influenza virus spreads to the environment through small particles of shot substances

3. Why is influenza contagious in winter?

Many studies claim that the flu virus spreads in the air more easily in conditions of low humidity and temperature. Therefore, the flu virus is most common throughout autumn and winter. The exact duration of the flu may vary but flu virus activity begins to increase in October and peaks in December to February. Some tips to help limit the spread of influenza are

  • Maintain room temperature above 20 degrees Celsius
  • Keep room humidity at least 50%

Dr. Anice Lowe and colleagues at New York's Mount Sinai Medical School study the influenza virus in pigs. Scientists change the temperature and humidity in pig farms and realize that: the influenza virus spreads a lot at low temperatures of about 5 degrees Celsius, and low humidity is about 20% to 35%.

Many new studies suggest measures to reduce the risk of influenza infection by changing the humidity inside the home. Setting humidity of 43% or more helps to inactive about 86% of virus droplets in the air quickly.

Learn more about the spread of the influenza virus in the following article: How does the flu virus spread, spread?

How much does coronavirus live at?

Room temperature should be maintained above 20 degrees Celsius

4. Influenza prevention

Influenza is a disease that can be effectively prevented by various active and passive measures, including:

Vaccination – influenza vaccination:

  • The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends annual influenza vaccinations as the first and most important job to combat influenza and other serious complications.
  • While there are many different viruses that cause influenza, influenza vaccines can only protect the body against the 3 or 4 most common pathogenic viruses. Vaccine – a 3-component vaccine containing H3N2, H1N1 and B viruses. The 4-component vaccine contains additional B viruses.
  • Influenza vaccine helps to minimize the incidence of influenza, hospitalization rate related to influenza.
  • Vaccines – influenza vaccines significantly reduce the risk of dying from influenza in children
  • Everyone 6 months and older should be vaccinated – vaccinated against influenza every year before the onc start of the disease in the community. CDC recommends when to get vaccinated – at the end of October every year.
  • People at increased risk for various complications of influenza include young children, pregnant women, people with chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes or cardicardiosis, and people over the age of 65 who need to adhere to preventive influenza vaccinations.

Vaccination, vaccination, vaccination at vinmec

Register for influenza virus vaccination at Share99

Maintain daily routines to prevent the spread of influenza:

  • Avoid close contact with sick people.
  • When there is a disease, self-consying contact with others as much as possible to avoid spreading.
  • If they are sick with flu-like symptoms, cdc recommends that patients stay home at least 24 hours after the fever ends without the use of antipyretics, except to go out to medical facilities.
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a paper towel when coughing or sneezing. Once used, discard the paper towel and rinse your hands.
  • Wash your hands with soap and clean water or a quick alcohol-containing hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with your hands as this is a common entrance to the virus.
  • Clean surfaces and tools that may contain influenza viruses.

Adhere to the use of antiviral drugs if prescribed by a doctor:

  • If influenza is infected, antiviral drugs can be used to treat
  • Antiviral drugs are not antibiotics, they are prescription drugs.
  • Antiviral drugs mitigate the disease, shorten the duration of illness and prevent complications of influenza.
  • CDC recommends that antiviral drugs be treated for people who are seriously ill and who are at increased risk for serious complications of the disease.
  • Studies show that influenza antiviral drugs are best effective if they begin to be used within the first 48 hours of illness, however the time of later use may still come in handy, especially for high-risk patients.

Source: cdc.gov; webmd.com

SEE MORE:

  • What to do when influenza A/H1N1 is suspected?
  • Is influenza vaccinating?
  • Is it possible to get a flu A test at home?

About: John Smith

b1ffdb54307529964874ff53a5c5de33?s=90&r=gI am the author of Share99.net. I had been working in Vinmec International General Hospital for over 10 years. I dedicate my passion on every post in this site.

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