The cold season, from October to March, is the most dangerous in terms of the incidence of respiratory viral infections, in particular influenza. This pathogen, compared to other types of viruses, has some features that determine a set of measures to prevent infection, especially if the family already has a patient with flu symptoms.

Epidemiological features of the influenza virus

Everyone knows that this virus is capable of constantly changing. It comes in two types, A and B, which mutate almost every year, so a person who has already had the flu may get sick again next fall or winter. The type A virus is the most mobile in terms of mutations; its spread in the form of epidemics is recorded every 1–2 years. Moreover, the disease always begins acutely, proceeds violently and often leads to serious complications. Influenza virus type B, on the contrary, is more resistant to mutations, its spread repeats after 3–6 years, and clinical picture The infection is more homogeneous and the process develops gradually.

All people are at risk of contracting the flu, since no one has natural immunity to the new strain of the virus (unless we consider creating artificial immunity through vaccination). But children, the elderly, and patients of any age suffering from concomitant chronic diseases are most susceptible to infection.

The influenza virus has a very pronounced tropism for the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, that is, it is able to instantly attach to epithelial cells and immediately begin its destructive activity. This is why the flu has the shortest incubation period(from infection to the appearance of symptoms of the disease) – from several hours to one day. Symptoms manifest themselves acutely and develop quickly, the body temperature immediately rises to significant numbers (39–40 degrees), the patient suffers from severe headache and aches in the joints, severe weakness develops. Then these symptoms are accompanied by a runny nose and cough, then the infection can spread through the respiratory tract and affect other internal organs.

When you breathe, cough or sneeze, the influenza virus, along with tiny particles of saliva and mucus, enters the external environment(this is an airborne route of spread). If there is a healthy person nearby, then in the absence individual funds protection, the possibility of contracting influenza is approaching 100%. Overcrowding, high humidity and low temperature air, which the virus loves very much, as well as bad epidemic and hygienic conditions indoors - all these factors contribute extremely rapid spread this dangerous infection.

From the air, especially indoors, viruses can settle on furniture and clothing, on toys and dishes. Then they can get from your hands into your mouth, for example, along with food. In epidemiological terms, this route of infection (oral) does not play as significant a role as airborne, but on the scale of an individual apartment and family, when someone is already sick with the flu, it cannot be written off.

What are the immediate measures to prevent influenza?

All of the above features of the influenza virus and methods of infection must be taken into account if a child or adult falls ill in the family. First of all, of course, you need to call your local doctor, who, having diagnosed the flu, will prescribe a treatment regimen: medications, strict bed rest, plenty of warm drinks, light vegetable, fruit or meat dishes according to the patient’s appetite.

Having provided the patient with all the conditions for recovery, it is necessary to think about other family members who are also at risk of contracting the flu. To do this, it is important to carry out measures, the purpose of which is to minimize the concentration of the influenza virus in the air of the apartment, which will reduce its invasiveness (the ability to infect humans) and significantly protect healthy people. These measures are as follows:

• Try to isolate the sick family member in a separate room, which will additionally create good conditions and for him (there will be no unnecessary noise and other irritating factors).
• Ventilate the patient’s room, as well as the entire apartment, as often as possible. The influenza virus is very volatile and with good ventilation and open windows quickly leaves the room. The most optimal time ventilation - morning and evening, if possible you can do this more often.
• Mandatory wet cleaning of the room, not only the floor, but also all surfaces on which the influenza virus can settle from the air: countertops, window sills, glass, design objects. That is why, as soon as a person gets sick, it is better to remove all unnecessary objects from his room, which will create best conditions to clean the premises and, therefore, protect other family members from the flu. If possible, cleaning should be done 2 times a day, using gentle disinfectants.
• Use only an individual set of utensils for the patient (cup, plate, spoon and fork), wash them after use disinfectant solutions. This preventive measure, given the predominantly airborne spread of influenza, does not have such important, as, for example, when intestinal infections. But keeping in mind the possibility oral route infection with influenza in a confined space (apartment), it must be observed.
• The use of a gauze mask by the patient himself, which sharply reduces the release of influenza pathogens into the environment.
• The use of natural fighters against influenza viruses that release strong phytoncides: garlic and onions. These vegetables can be hung in your rooms and often eaten fresh.

Other urgent prevention measures are aimed at creating conditions under which the virus cannot enter respiratory tract healthy person, even with it high concentration in the air. Of these, two most important points can be noted:

• Mandatory use of personal protective equipment. First of all, this is a gauze bandage, or mask, which, when constantly wearing in an apartment reduces the risk of contracting the flu several times. It is necessary to have such masks, preferably disposable ones, for all family members and change them every day. If this is not possible, the used gauze dressings can be washed and then ironed with a very hot iron.

You can also recommend rubber gloves, in which you need to wet clean the room where the flu patient is lying, as well as wash the dishes he used.

• Treatment of the nasal mucosa with special medications:
  • oxolinic ointment 0.25 percent (lubricate the nasal cavity 2-3 times a day);
  • Viferon ointment, which also has an immunostimulating effect (3-4 times a day);
  • Fleming's ointment, this is one of homeopathic remedies, which is used both for the prevention and treatment of influenza (2-3 times a day);
  • “Zvezdochka” ointment, which treats not the mucous membrane, but the skin under the nose and around the nostrils (1-2 times a day).

All these measures for the urgent prevention of influenza if there is already someone in the family who is sick with this dangerous infection person, you need to know and be sure to follow. Then the rest of the family will have a chance not to get sick and maintain their health.

What you can do before an expected flu outbreak or epidemic

Every year, influenza outbreaks cause temporary disability for many people; Often, unfortunately, they develop and serious complications. At high risk are children, pregnant women, workers in medical and child care institutions, and the elderly. Therefore the state accepts special measures, which are designed to reduce the incidence of influenza.

First of all, it is the prevention of infection with a vaccine. Virology specialists are constantly studying the behavior of the influenza virus, the nature of its mutations and spread. They make predictions about which strain will threaten the population in the near future. Based on these data, immunologists are developing a special vaccine that will be effective only against this viral strain. This vaccine then enters the network of treatment and preventive institutions.

It contains particles of killed or weakened viruses, which, when they enter the human body, cause a massive production of antibodies that can subsequently cope with active microorganisms. But for a sufficient amount of antibodies to form, a certain period of time is required. This is usually 1-2 months before the expected onset of a flu outbreak or epidemic, so vaccinations begin in October-December.

Influenza vaccination is completely free for the population; everyone can come to the clinic and get vaccinated. It is practically painless and does not cause side effects. As years of use of vaccine prophylaxis have shown, this measure is the most effective in preventing the incidence of influenza, significantly strengthening the immune system and helping it cope with infection even with the highest degree of invasiveness of the virus.

In addition to prevention by vaccination, you can use such well-known methods as:

• antiviral ointments applied to the nasal mucosa (oxolinic, Viferon);
• antiviral drugs in tablet form (“Remantadine”, “Arbidol”);
• interferons and interferon inducers (“Grippferon”, “Amiksin”, “Kagocel”).

They should be used when there are already people infected with influenza in the immediate environment, as well as at the very beginning of the disease. Moreover, the drugs are taken not just once, but according to a special regimen developed by the doctor.

We must not forget about the prevention of any infections, including influenza, throughout the year. It is very important to constantly strengthen the immune system through hardening, physical education, good nutrition, giving up bad habits.

The first and most important thing is to call a doctor for the patient and ensure maximum isolation. Ideally, a separate room with a separate bathroom, the door to which should always be closed. If it is not possible to allocate a separate room for the patient, he must wear a mask. If family members and the patient share the same toilet and bathroom, these areas should be disinfected regularly.

Maintain personal hygiene rules

The rules of personal hygiene at such moments become especially relevant. All family members, and especially the patient, should have their own personal hygiene items, dishes, towels and bed linen. Both healthy family members and sick people need to regularly wash their hands with soap and wash themselves.

Take preventive medications

For prevention, it is appropriate to take antiviral drugs, for example antiviral drug Kagocel®. Its action is aimed at prevention (including emergency) of both influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections. The drug is suitable for both adults and children from 3 years of age.

Avoid contact with children and the elderly

People from the so-called “risk group” (children, elderly people and pregnant women) should not take part in caring for the patient and have contact with him. If possible, this should be done by the same family member. When in contact with a patient, the person caring for him must wear a mask or respirator, and after contact, be sure to wash his hands with soap.

Ventilate the room

All rooms in the house should be thoroughly ventilated - both the patient's room and common areas. Viruses do not like the movement of air masses, so ventilation is destructive for them.

Do wet cleaning

Regular (up to several times a day) wet cleaning of premises with disinfectants is also recommended. Particular care should be taken to treat surfaces with which the patient comes into contact: door handles, handrails, etc.

Maintain bed rest

Bed rest for the patient - prerequisite. He should not leave his own bedroom and leave the house without good reason. If this cannot be avoided, the patient should wear a mask.

Track symptoms of illness

Another mandatory condition is monitoring the health of other family members. It is necessary to monitor the appearance of symptoms of the disease in everyone who is in the same house/apartment with the patient. If you detect any signs of the disease, you should immediately seek help from a doctor. Timely initiation of treatment can significantly alleviate the course of the disease, prevent infection of other family members and help avoid complications of ARVI.

During the cold season, catch the flu or other respiratory disease quite simple, especially in the absence of proper prevention.

What is the main prevention, how to protect yourself from infection, and what to do if you have been in contact with someone with the flu?

Contact with the patient should be more careful

What to do after contact with someone with the flu working hours? If you are an office employee and have to be in the same room as someone who is already sick, if possible, exclude close contact, keep a distance of at least one meter. If the office dimensions do not allow this, use special medical masks.

If upon arrival to work you notice a sick employee, purchase Oxolin ointment at the pharmacy kiosk and apply a small amount to each nostril. This one is inexpensive worthwhile drug has a virucidal effect against influenza viruses, as well as other respiratory diseases.

In addition, if there is a sick person in the room, it is necessary to carry out wet cleaning and ventilation twice a day. A good alternative would be to use an aroma lamp with tea tree, pine or eucalyptus oils. Oils have a bactericidal effect and reduce the risk of contracting the flu after contact with a sick person.

How to avoid getting the flu at home?

What should you do if there is a person with the flu in your home? If a family gets sick with the flu, first of all the sick relative must be isolated in a separate room. Give it to him separate funds personal hygiene, bed linen and dishes. If possible, do wet cleaning every 2-3 hours and ventilate the room in which the patient is located.

Flu spreads very quickly within a family

It will also not hurt to use the previously described Oxolin ointment and medical masks. If the apartment is large enough (3-4 rooms), place several aroma lamps around the house. You can use the following oils: pine needles, tea tree, incense, eucalyptus, lavender. Oils have a bactericidal effect and reduce the spread of the virus around the house.

Contact with a sick person on public transport

If you notice that there is a passenger nearby with obvious symptoms of influenza or ARVI, if possible, increase the distance between you by 1.5 meters. This is the safest distance in this case.

If you have already been in contact with someone with the flu, what should you do when you get home? Medical experts recommend that after such a trip, rinse the nasal cavity using a solution sea ​​salt or any other nasal spray.

Communication with patients in company or public places

What to do after communicating with someone with the flu if you are in the same company with the infected person? First you need to say what not to do. The first misconception of many people is the ability of alcohol to destroy agents respiratory infections. Of course, alcohol has some disinfecting effect, but it is not capable of destroying the influenza virus. Therefore, drinking alcohol in company in order to prevent infection with the virus is inappropriate.

It is advisable to limit communication with infected people

If after communication it is noticed that the patient is a carrier of the influenza virus, exclude further communication with him. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and stay at least one meter away from the infected person.

Drug prevention of influenza

What kind of flu prevention should you choose if someone is already sick at home or at work? Today in pharmacies you can buy a huge amount prophylactic agents, aimed at protecting against respiratory infections, including influenza.

The simplest preventive measure After contact with the patient, thoroughly rinse the nasal cavity with warm water.

The most effective are solutions containing added salt or aqueous solution sodium chloride (saline solution). However, this manipulation has some disadvantages:

• the procedure is quite complicated and not convenient to carry out while at the workplace;
• If you have a runny nose, rinsing may make it worse. this state and worsen the discharge of secretions.

How to protect yourself and what measures to take to avoid contracting the flu when in contact with a sick person? In the midst of colds When the risk of contact with a patient reaches its maximum, doctors recommend rinsing the nose in the morning, before going out and in the evening upon returning home. During the day, it is recommended to use oxolinic ointment, applying it to the nasal openings or, as an alternative, eucalyptus oil.

• rinse your nose generously with sodium chloride or saline solution;
• apply eucalyptus oil or Oksolin.

• During an epidemic or after contact with a sick person, avoid contact of your hands with your face and eyes. The influenza virus very easily remains on the palms and easily penetrates the mucous membranes.
• When you are in the same room with an infected person, limit yourself from contact with him as much as possible. Avoid physical contact or touching objects of the sick person. It is advisable to wash your hands with soap and water every hour or use antiseptics sold in the form of a spray or wet wipes.
• During the development of infection, avoid using alcoholic drinks and smoking. They significantly reduce protective functions immune system, dry out the nasopharyngeal mucosa, making the body more vulnerable to the virus.
• Regardless temperature regime When outside, ventilate the room you are in as often as possible. Before this procedure you should wear outerwear or go to another room.
• Include foods with maximum number vitamin C is chief assistant immune system. In the absence of contraindications, he also recommends drinking vitamin complex containing B2, B6 and B12. These microelements are effective prevention hypovitaminosis, which means the risk of contracting influenza after contact is significantly reduced.

Wash your hands thoroughly after contact with someone who is sick.

Sticking to these simple rules, you can protect yourself from the flu during an epidemic, and reduce the risk of infection after contact with someone who is already sick.

The easiest way to catch the flu is indoors. where it's warm and humid. We will tell you how not to catch the disease if someone in the house is sick.

How can you get the flu and colds?

It is easiest to catch a cold or flu indoors. Viruses are transmitted by airborne droplets from person to person. penetrates through the respiratory tract into the cells of the mucosa, causing destruction of the surface layer of cells, which leads to inflammation. Epithelial cells respiratory organs slough off and are rejected when breathing. These cells contain many viral particles, they float in the air and can easily infect others.

In an enclosed space, flu and cold viruses can spread 7-8 meters around a sick person. Pathogenic viruses can live from 2 to 9 hours, circulating in the air of a room.

The second mechanism of transmission of infection is through household contact. So, you can become infected through objects - door handles, dishes, towels. Special attention should be given to your hands. The influenza virus lives on the hands for 5-7 minutes, and if during this time a person manages to touch his face or bring his hand to his nose or oral cavity, then the risk of infection increases significantly. According to experts, it is the viruses on the hands that represent high danger, since infection most often occurs in this way.

British scientists have found that a child touches his nose, eyes or mouth more than 300 times per day. Influenza viruses live on metal or plastic for up to 48 hours, and on glass surfaces for up to 10 days.

What to do

If someone in the family gets sick, then there is increased risk infection of other family members. What is the right thing to do to minimize risks? Doctors recommend the following activities:

1. Isolate the patient. Ideally, this should be a separate room. If this is not possible, then the patient should be warned not to walk around the apartment (house) and not spread the infection. Food and drink must be brought to the patient. It is advisable to limit movements around the apartment only to visiting the toilet and bathroom, and everything must be done promptly, without lingering in other rooms.
2. Provide the patient with certain items to use. He must have his own towel, underwear and bed linen, handkerchiefs, and dishes. Towels, underwear and bed linen should be disinfected by boiling for 15 minutes. And the thermometer must be wiped with ethyl alcohol or vodka after each use.
3. Carry out wet cleaning. It is recommended to clean the room where the patient is located 2-3 times a day. It is advisable to carry out cleaning using disinfectants or using a soap solution.
4. Ventilate the room. This is necessary to reduce the concentration of circulating viruses in the room. It is necessary to ventilate the room 3-4 times a day. When airing, you can spray water with aromatic oils, which will help disinfect the air.
5. Humidify the air. For speedy recovery and to minimize infection of flu and colds by other family members, the room must be additionally humidified.
6. Wear a mask. It is advisable for the patient to wear a mask when communicating with other family members (especially children). To reduce the risk of infection, healthy people should drip saline solutions into their nose 1-2 times an hour.

Important!

After each visit to a patient, you must thoroughly wash your hands and face. This way you will reduce the likelihood of contracting flu and colds by 50%! Personal hygiene is extremely important factor protection from viral infection, which in no case should be neglected.

How to protect a child if the mother is sick

Now let's talk about a more specific case. How to protect your baby from the flu if his mother is sick. We know how children often get sick and easily catch viruses, so in this case it is extremely important to do everything right so that the baby does not get sick. So here's what to do:

1. Dad instead of mom. If possible, when the mother is sick, another family member - dad, grandmother or someone else - should take on all the care of the child. According to the law, if the mother is sick, the father can receive sick leave child care.
2. How can longer baby must be on fresh air. If you can’t go outside, then go out onto the balcony.
3. As in the previous case, do wet cleaning, ventilate, wash and boil the laundry.
4. If a mother wants to talk to her child, she should do so wearing a mask and with well-washed hands.
5. Time should be limited. If possible, switch to artificial feeding during illness.
6. Before and after feeding, drops should be placed in the baby's nose. saline solution(saline solution).

Wait full recovery, and only then contact your baby in your usual way.

Flu- this is one of the dangerous diseases, during which the bronchi are affected, resulting in complications. If treatment is not started promptly, the flu can develop into pneumonia.

Cold – occurs due to hypothermia of the body, caused by cold. This usually occurs in winter, when the nasal cavity cools.

As you know, colds are most common in autumn, winter and spring.

At this time, the body needs to adapt to changing air temperatures. That's why it's especially important to dress for the season. For example, in the fall you need to wear light and at the same time enough warm clothes, and primarily for those coming from the south after a vacation. In damp, cold times with significant fluctuations in air temperature, it “raises its head” mixed infection, mostly viral - influenza, parainfluenza, acute adenoviral diseases.

How to prevent diseases?

For that so as not to get sick, it is necessary to isolate patients from people. Suppose there are two children in a family, first one gets sick, and then the other. Parents, as a rule, are no longer afraid to leave this second child with the first: after all, both are sick. And they can additionally infect each other with “their” viruses. And everyone will be sick much longer, and the likelihood of complications will increase.

As you know, many infectious diseases have been eliminated, but there are no significant changes in the fight against influenza. This is explained by the fact that viruses of types A, Ar, B and C are different in themselves and also change their individual properties. And since it is unknown which type of virus will cause the greatest number of diseases, it is not possible to prepare the necessary anti-influenza vaccines and serums in advance. They have to be updated systematically.

The difficulty of fighting the disease also lies in the fact that doctors do not have specific medications for treatment. This does not mean that they are not being sought; on the contrary, more and more new anti-flu drugs are being proposed. They passed preliminary tests and killed viruses under experimental conditions in a test tube. But in a living organism there are other conditions for their action. That's why, even after many clinical tests, it has not yet been found reliable means fight against influenza.

What methods can be used to prevent the spread of influenza infection?

As soon as an outbreak of the disease begins, doctors, using a rapid diagnostic method, can determine the true culprit of the disease. Having discovered influenza viruses, epidemiologists warn workers of children's institutions and hospitals about the need for quarantine. This measure significantly reduces the spread of influenza.

The patient should be isolated if possible. This is necessary because the patient’s mucus, sputum, and saliva are most contagious in the first four days. Millions of virus particles enter the surrounding air and are a source of infection.

A person who has contracted the virus must follow the regimen recommended by the doctor and strictly observe hygiene rules. He needs to be given separate dishes, a handkerchief, a towel, and linen. Dishes are disinfected by boiling. The patient's skin can be wiped with cologne, and hands should be washed with soap several times a day.

If a patient has a high fever and decreased appetite, he will benefit from easily digestible food, drinking plenty of fluids– tea with raspberries, lemon, fruit syrups and juices, compotes, apples, grapes.

Many people think about what to do to avoid getting sick ? You can write a lot, but you need to know the most important points to protect yourself.

• Before going outside, you need to lubricate the nasal cavity oxolinic ointment. You will create an obstacle to bacteria;
• Avoid places with large crowds of people (supermarkets, shops, markets, buses, subways, etc.);
• Ventilate your apartment or house. The cold repels the flu, and fresh air is good for health;
• Try not to interact with people who have the flu. Make him wear a gauze bandage.

How to avoid getting a cold

To avoid catching a cold, you need to strengthen your immune system. If you feel the first symptoms of a cold, you need to take medicines, which will help the body overcome viruses. Symptoms appear as follows: sore throat, headache, weakness, runny nose.

How to avoid getting sick in winter

The key to health in winter is warmth. Remember, the body should not be overcooled.

• Don't forget to dress warmly before going outside. Wear a hat and don't forget about your feet. They love warmth;
• When outside, breathe through your nose. The air passing through the nose is cleared of dust and heated;
• Wash your hands with soap after going outside;
• Carry an antiseptic with you that will help you disinfect your hands anywhere in the city;
• Wash the clothes you wear to work and your children wear. kindergarten or school. Clothing collects germs that can cause viral illness;
• Walk outside more and breathe fresh air;

By following basic rules, you will have less risk of getting sick or catching a cold. Let's consolidate what was said above and remember.

1. Wash your hands after going outside. A lot of germs collect on your hands;
2. When sneezing, cover your mouth with a tissue or hand, then wash your hands;
3. Avoid crowded places. It is easiest to catch the flu in a crowd;
4. Disinfect common areas (toilets, sinks, kitchen);
5. Spend more time outdoors. It is easier to get sick indoors than outdoors;
6. Rinse your nose saline solution. After cleaning your nose, drop the solution and clean it well;
7. Try to strengthen your body when you are healthy. But you need to start gradually. Wipe with a towel soaked in cool water, gradually moving to a contrast shower;
8. Ventilate the room you are in every day;
9. Monitor the humidity in the room. It should be 50-60%;
10. Do wet cleaning in the house;
11. When meeting people you know, try to avoid shaking hands and kissing on the cheek;
12. Strengthen your immune system. In summer, try to eat more vegetables and fruits, and in winter you can buy vitamins at the pharmacy;
13. Don't refuse the flu vaccine. This will help your body fight viruses better;
14. When outside, try not to touch your face with your hands;
15. Try to avoid contact with sick people;
16. Use utensils and things that belong only to you;
17. Try to rest more, then your body will be full of strength and will be able to reject bacteria.

But it happens that the symptoms have already caught you. You can buy medications at the pharmacy and take them, or be treated with traditional methods.

How to cure a cold or flu using traditional methods

In order for a cold to not be terrible, you need to be able to fight it regardless of the time of year and weather conditions.

Compresses at night help with coughs. Cabbage leaf Place in boiling water for two minutes, remove, coat with honey and place on chest. You can also put it on your back. You should wear a tight-fitting T-shirt over the top. Three to five nights of this treatment and the cough goes away.

It is also useful for coughing to eat two or three ripe persimmon fruits a day, and at night drink hot tea, adding sunflower oil(1 tbsp. spoon for 1 tbsp. tea).

At high temperature and sore throat will help you potato. Grate two raw tubers with peel on a coarse grater, add 1 tbsp. spoon of 9% vinegar and place on cloth or gauze folded in several layers. Place a cold potato compress on the forehead, and after 30 minutes the body temperature drops by 3-5 degrees. Do exactly the same compress on throat, just heat the potato pulp a little, apply it to the throat and warm it. Keep it on all night.

Children over 10 years old sore throat you can rinse with juice onions And boiled water(in proportion 1:1).

At the first sign of the flu, cologne will help you. Before going to bed, you need to completely undress. The heart area should not be touched. Thoroughly rub the rest of your body from the top of your head to your fingertips with triple cologne. Cover yourself with a warm blanket and do not open until the morning. And in the morning there will be no trace of the flu.