How to prevent winter diseases

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted with Doctor Tran Quoc Tuan - Emergency Medicine Doctor - Emergency Resuscitation Department - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital.
Humid weather in winter and spring can create favorable conditions for viruses and bacteria to grow. Therefore, disease outbreaks are easy in Vietnam as well as in many countries around the world. Therefore, we need to step up the prevention methods of winter-spring diseases before they have the risk of becoming a pandemic.

1. Some dangerous diseases are common in winter and spring

The cold and wet winter-spring weather not only creates favorable conditions for viruses and bacteria to develop, but also increases the risk of disease outbreaks, especially respiratory and digestive diseases. . The time before the Lunar New Year we witnessed the outbreak of influenza A and B, causing a large number of people to contract, causing a shortage of treatment drugs as well as flu vaccines. Next to the Covid-19 epidemic is also an epidemic that is breaking out in many countries around the world, including Vietnam. It is worth noting that these "pandemics" are easily spread through the respiratory tract and break out in the winter and spring. Therefore, finding ways to prevent winter-spring diseases is an urgent task. Some diseases that are common in winter and spring and easily break out into pandemics can be mentioned as:

1.1 Measles, rubella

Measles and rubella are two acute infectious diseases caused by viruses. The disease is mainly spread by respiratory route through droplets of secretions from the respiratory tract of an infected person or through direct contact routes, especially they are at risk of spreading and easily becoming a pandemic, especially in children who have not been vaccinated against measles , rubella.
Signs of the disease are usually fever, rash and inflammation of the respiratory tract. If not examined and treated promptly, it can leave serious complications such as otitis media, pneumonia, diarrhea, encephalitis... easily leading to death.
Although the disease has dangerous symptoms and is at risk of becoming an epidemic in Vietnam, we can prevent it by fully immunizing against the disease. For children between the ages of 9 and 12 months, parents need to take their children to get the first dose of measles vaccine and a second dose when the child is over 18 months old, and at the same time give the child measles-rubella vaccine at the same time. 12-14 months old and regularly clean the nasal passages, throat, eyes daily.

1.2. Flu

Seasonal flu is a dangerous winter-spring epidemic with a high risk of outbreaks. Especially for those with poor resistance, not fully vaccinated with vaccines, the disease can leave many dangerous complications. Seasonal flu is usually spread through the salivary glands, nasal discharge/sputum of an infected person with symptoms such as headache, stuffy nose, fever, and mild sore throat.
In order to proactively prevent flu, the Ministry of Health has issued recommendations to people to take good preventive measures such as ensuring personal hygiene, covering mouth when sneezing; wash hands with soap; Clean nose and throat daily with physiological saline. In addition, it is necessary to maintain a reasonable diet, limit contact with sick people and fully vaccinated against influenza every year. When you have flu symptoms such as cough, fever, runny nose, headache, fatigue, you should immediately go to a medical facility for examination, treatment and medication use according to the instructions of the prescribing doctor and consulting pharmacist. .

1.3. Acute diarrheal disease

Acute diarrhea is one of the diseases that can easily become a pandemic in Vietnam, especially in the cold and wet weather of winter and spring. Accordingly, the subjects often infected are children with low resistance.
Acute diarrhea is caused by cholera, typhoid or intestinal viruses such as rotavirus entering the body by mouth. Diarrhea is very contagious, so it can easily become a dangerous disease.
People with acute diarrhea often have symptoms such as vomiting, frequent bowel movements, dehydration, these symptoms can lead to cardiovascular collapse, even death if not promptly replenished water for the body. body.
To proactively prevent acute diarrhea, the Ministry of Health recommends that people take measures to ensure food hygiene and safety, eat cooked food, drink cooked food, and do not drink cold water. In addition, it is necessary to wash hands often with soap before eating and after using the toilet. When there are signs of acute diarrhea, they must immediately go to the nearest medical facility for timely examination, advice and treatment.
In addition to the above common diseases, a number of diseases easily become epidemics in winter and spring such as swine streptococcus, acute respiratory infections, whooping cough, keratitis, chickenpox, and meningococcal meningitis. In order to prevent epidemics, each person needs to raise their awareness, follow the recommendations of the Ministry of Health to prevent diseases, and at the same time fully vaccinate against all types of vaccines in the expanded program or scheduled service immunization program.

2. How to prevent winter-spring disease effectively

In order to proactively prevent winter-spring epidemics, the Department of Preventive Medicine - Ministry of Health has advised people to pay attention and take the initiative in taking measures to improve health and prevent epidemics by a number of measures. As follows:
Fully vaccinated against diseases according to schedule, especially those with low resistance such as children (for vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, rubella, pertussis). , meningococcal, chickenpox, flu...). Keep body warm when the weather turns cold; keep children warm when riding motorbikes, going out; When working outdoors, going out at night, early in the morning must wear warm enough, pay attention to keep the feet, hands, chest, neck, and head warm. Avoid contact with people who are showing signs of respiratory infections, if necessary, wear a mask. Eat cooked and drink boiling water, ensure food hygiene and safety, maintain a reasonable diet with adequate nutrients to improve resistance. Ensure personal hygiene, regularly wash hands with soap, clean nose and throat daily with mouthwash and physiological saline. Implement good environmental hygiene, family hygiene, use hygienic latrines. When having symptoms of an infectious disease, it is necessary to immediately notify the nearest medical facility for timely advice, examination and treatment.

In order to improve service quality as well as prevent diseases, in addition to propagandizing people on how to prevent diseases, Vinmec International General Hospital has been deploying vaccination services with many types of vaccines. Please diversify for many different audiences. Especially vaccines against influenza, measles, rubella,... to prevent epidemics in winter and spring.
When choosing to vaccinate at Vinmec International General Hospital, customers will enjoy the following benefits:
Customers will be fully examined and screened for health and status problems. health, counseling on preventive vaccines according to the protocol, how to monitor and care for children after vaccination. The team of consulting doctors and nurses who perform the infusion are all professional and well-trained. When children register for vaccination at Vinmec Health System, they will be monitored for 30 minutes after the injection and reassessed before leaving. The entire vaccination system of Vinmec International General Hospital has an emergency team ready to coordinate with the vaccination department to handle post-injection reactions (if any). Vaccination room at Vinmec is airy, has a play area, helps children feel comfortable before and after vaccination. Vaccines in the entire Vinmec Health System are imported and stored in a modern cold storage system, with a cold chain that meets GSP standards, keeping vaccines in the best condition to quality assurance. Customers will receive a reminder message before the injection date and the vaccination information is synchronized with the national vaccination information system.

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