Consequence of the easing?: After Corona, the flu numbers are now increasing – one group in particular is affected
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150 children and teachers are now probably infected with the flu in Saxony. And the cases are also increasing in the rest of Germany. According to experts, this could be related to the end of the mask requirement.
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Last week, a primary school in Leipzig complained about an unusually high level of sick leave: 150 students and teachers had signed off, complaining of fever and diarrhea, among other things. As the city announced on Monday, flu pathogens are probably responsible for this. The majority of the throat swabs of the sick were positive.
Leipzig is not an isolated case. Influenza cases have increased across the state in recent weeks. And the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is also registering more and more flu sufferers nationwide. As the RKI announced when asked by FOCUS Online, the cases have increased in the past few weeks as follows:
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Most recently, the RKI reported 1657 cases per week. The cases have almost doubled in the past month.
Note: The current reporting week (19) has not yet passed, which is why we use the values from the past week (18) as the most recent.
Flu: Children are particularly affected
A closer look at the data makes it clear that one group in particular is affected: children. “The activity of acute respiratory diseases in the population increased in the 17th calendar week of 2022 compared to the previous week in children, while it decreased in adults,” writes the RKI on the website of the “Influenza Working Group” .
The flu season actually ends in the warmer spring months. But last year, doctors noticed a sharp increase in respiratory diseases in children in the middle of summer. “Of course it’s not really surprising, because the children and young people are starting to have more social contacts again and then, of course, the infections go up again – including infections that we normally only see very rarely or not at all at this time,” said then pediatrician Jakob Maske, the spokesman for the professional association of paediatricians (BVKJ) to FOCUS Online.
Doctors warn of “enormous increase” in flu cases in children
And even now, the flu cases in children could continue to increase. The Berlin pediatrician Martin Karsten warns of a “huge increase” in flu cases. These are actually atypical after Easter. „RTL“ But he said: “The children are now significantly sicker than the children we had at Corona.”
Frequently mentioned flu symptoms are about
- 40 degrees temperature up to five or six days
- body aches
- headache and
- respiratory symptoms like coughing or sneezing.
Karsten also fears that the number of flu cases in the entire population will be underreported. Because just like the corona virus, the flu pathogen must be detected by means of a throat swab. According to the report, the doctor appeals to parents to have children who have had a high fever or other flu symptoms for more than two to three days tested for the virus by a doctor. The diagnosis is important for further treatment.
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Flu is spreading because measures no longer apply
The doctor cites the fact that the flu season was practically absent in the typical months of January, February and March as the reason for the increase. Now that the corona measures have been relaxed, the flu is spreading.
This has already been shown in other countries such as Spain. On Germany’s favorite holiday island of Mallorca, the number of cases of flu increased significantly at the end of April. Physician Christoph Specht already called at that time „RTL“ two reasons for this:
- „Die Masks and distance bans have contributed to the fact that aerosols have been less able to be transmitted in recent years. ”This not only contained the corona virus, but also the flu virus at the same time. “The latter has now found willing victims,” Specht continues. The virus is not very common at the current time of year, but it is still there. “By eliminating the masks, it is now even possible to get infected.”
- In addition, the Immune protection of most people “pretty low” may be. Last winter there was almost no natural infection with flu viruses, the “boost” was missing. “It’s like having only weak flu waves for two or three years. Then you know that what follows will be intense,” says Specht.
How much are the flu numbers going to rise?
According to an RKI spokeswoman, it is not yet possible to estimate how much the flu cases will increase. According to the doctor Specht, however, the risk of an influenza epidemic continues to decrease in the summer months. “A real increase, you can fear that in the fall,” he warns instead.
This is how risk groups protect themselves
As with Corona, the best precaution to protect yourself against infection or serious illness is vaccination. Risk groups in particular should therefore be immunized against the flu virus. However, not now, but only in the autumn. The flu vaccine is adjusted every year and is not yet available in its current form. From September or October, risk groups could ask their family doctor about the vaccination.
The risk group includes the Standing Committee on Vaccination :
- people over 60 years of age
- Pregnant women from the second trimester, in the case of an increased health risk due to an underlying disease from the first trimester
- Persons with an increased health risk as a result of an underlying disease (such as chronic diseases of the respiratory organs, heart or circulatory diseases, liver or kidney diseases, diabetes or other metabolic diseases and chronic neurological underlying diseases)
- Residents of retirement or nursing homes as well
- People who, as a possible source of infection, can endanger risk people (see above) living in the same household or cared for by them.
For all others, the Stiko does not recommend a flu vaccination.
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