Everyone is sick, emergency room visits increased by 20 percent! There is only one way to protect yourself from all 3 viruses… Did diseases increase because there was no snow?

Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Specialist said that currently influenza is the most common, followed by RSV and finally Covid. Dr. Gökçe Demir: “RSV virus has a severe course in children under 2 years of age. It is seen less frequently in adults. Because most people have RSV by the age of 6. It can cause pneumonia, fever and respiratory distress, especially in children in the 0-2 age group. The most common ones we see in adults are influenza and Covid. If the immune system is not weak, Covid’s potential to cause disease is now very low. This is also the case for new variants. If the person does not have an underlying chronic disease, he/she can usually experience a mild fever, fatigue that lasts for a day or two, and a dry cough. However, especially if influenza is not vaccinated, it causes high fever of up to 39-40 degrees and severe muscle and joint pain. Patients who apply to us describe their situation as “I cannot move my arm, I cannot get out of bed.” “In addition to a serious headache, the virus can sometimes cause a dry cough,” he said.

Specialist Dr. Gökçe Demir said, “Since there is a clear treatment for influenza, we recommend that patients with flu symptoms consult an infectious disease specialist or family physician. Because this virus has antiviral medication that we have used safely for years. And when we start this medication early, we accelerate the recovery process. The most basic way of protection.” Vaccine for flu, especially influenza. We recommend that people over the age of 50, those with underlying chronic lung disease (such as asthma, COPD), patients with diabetes and hypertension get the flu vaccine. There are those who think that the flu vaccine should only be given in September and October. However, if this “If you have not had any fever during the winter, it is possible to have it done until February.” he said.

Expert stated that people’s immunity against influenza and RSV has decreased. Dr. Gökçe Demir said, “Because the world went through a pandemic. Everyone used surgical masks for nearly 3 years. There has been an opening in the last year. There is a mobile population, but people were wearing masks at least until last year when they came to the hospital. However, now even those who present with fever do not wear masks. “Since we wore masks for 3 years, somehow our immune cells forgot about these viruses. Antibody levels dropped. Frankly, this is another reason why we catch these viruses a little more easily now,” he shared.

Specialist Dr. Gökçe Demir said, “It is very difficult to protect children from these three viruses. Because they are in much more contact. They share their erasers and pencils and hug each other while playing. Therefore, it is easier for them to infect each other. Currently, we focus on three viruses the most, but we know that both “Rhinoenterorevirus is a cold-causing agent in both pediatric and adult groups, and we frequently encounter adenovirus. Adenovirus can also cause pneumonia. A child has one, recovers fully, then catches another virus from another friend. He brings it home, and this causes a second spread among adults.” said.

Expert explains that influenza pneumonia is fatal. Dr. Gökçe Demir: “It progresses really slowly, leading to respiratory failure. The patient’s blood oxygen, or saturation, decreases, requiring intubation and causing a severe pneumonia that may progress to intensive care. Covid only does this to patients with weak immune systems, especially hematology patients. However, he warned, “the flu can also cause this in healthy individuals.” Expert said that the rumors that diseases increase because there is no rain or snow do not reflect the truth. Dr. Gökçe Demir said, “It is not possible to associate the increase in viruses with the lack of snow.”