The major preventive modalities for most viral respiratory illnesses are the same. Basic hand hygiene and cough etiquettes help avert several diseases. Other oft overlooked modalities are keeping common areas well ventilated and practicing healthy habits such as: Getting plenty sleep, being physically active, managing stress effectively, drinking plenty of fluids and eating nutritious food. It is also important to remember that influenza or other viral illnesses only require symptomatic treatment for fever, cold and cough. Antibiotics are not only ineffective against viruses but indiscriminate antibiotic use are causing a menace with antibiotic resistance. Onlymyhealth editorial team spoke to Dr. Trupti Gilada, Consultant Physician in Infectious Disease, Masina Hospital, about immunity strengthening tips to prevent cold as the flu season sets upon the country.
Tips to strengthen immunity to prevent cold and flu
1. Flu shot for children
There is continuous influenza activity across the nation, with seasonal peaks during monsoon and winter. There is an ever increasing number of influenza-like illnesses affecting even a large number of children who can transmit the disease to their peers and adult counterparts. In resource rich nations, the influenza vaccine is given to every individual annually. While it may not be practical to administer routine influenza vaccination to everyone in India, the vaccination for high-risk groups such as the elderly, children below 5 years, medical practitioners and pregnant women should be seriously considered.
Even the Indian Association of Pediatrics recommends that in view of influenza activity round the year with seasonal peaks, high morbidity and mortality in high-risk groups, including children below 5 years, paucity of facilities for laboratory diagnosis, high transmission rate, substantial socioeconomic burden, it would be justifiable to use Influenza vaccine routinely in the high-risk group of children below the age of 5 years.
Also read: Common Cold and Flu: Myths debunked
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2. Flu vaccines in adults
A meta-analysis that included data from RCTs of licensed inactivated flu vaccines reported vaccine efficacy of 59% in adults. Vaccination decreased the risk of severe flu by half in this age group of 18-64 years. Among children aged 1–15 years, vaccine efficacy was estimated between 70-90%.
The influenza virus, like every virus, contains a set of genes that are coated by protein. Vaccines stimulate the production of antibodies that attach to outer structures on this protein coat thus disabling the virus. And this is how the influenza vaccine works. Unfortunately, these outer structures are constantly changing, so a new vaccine is needed each year to target those structures on the flu viruses that are currently circulating.
3. Beware about asthma symptoms
Asthma triggers viral infections in children. Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases found in children. One of the common triggers for asthma are viral infections like influenza and such episodes sometimes need hospitalisation. A Scottish study found that children aged 5–17 years with poorly controlled asthma are at markedly increased (3–6 times higher) risk of Covid-19 hospital admission compared with those without asthma. Vaccines that prevent such viral illnesses have been found to be both safe and effective in decreasing their risk of hospitalization, number of missed days of school and ultimately could reduce the spread disease.
4. Timing the Covid and Influenza vaccine together
Studies have shown that administering an influenza vaccine at the same time as a covid-19 vaccine produced no safety concerns and preserves the immune response to both vaccines. The benefit of getting them altogether is if you do get disadvantages, you will only receive them once. Getting them around the same time but not on the same day is fine too.
5. Immunity strengthening foods
It is also suggested to consume immunity strengthening foods, that are rich in Vitamin C, probiotics and prebiotics. You can eat yogurt, citrus fruits, ginger, garlic, etc to boost your immune system. Having these nutritious foods can help in both preventing and treating cold and flu.
Also read: Here Are 10 Effective Home Remedies To Treat Cold And Flu Naturally
The effect of vaccination on public health is difficult to exaggerate. If we exclude the provision of safe and clean water, no other modality has had such a deep impact on mortality reduction. It has been estimated that vaccines have helped in preventing 6 million deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases in a year. The only health benefit perceived by most vaccine recipients is their direct protection at individual level. The added benefit of vaccination, on a global level, is the potential to generate herd immunity. When a sufficiently good proportion of the population is vaccinated, transmission of the disease is halted thus also protecting the unvaccinated, who may be too young, too vulnerable, or too immunosuppressed to receive vaccines themselves.
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