Vaccination can prevent seasonal flu

Islamabad : Medical experts on Saturday suggested that influenza vaccination was the best method for preventing seasonal flu before the fall season was crucial, as the number of seasonal flu cases was increasing with each passing day.

Child Specialist Dr Huma Baki warned, parents must brace themselves and keep an eye out on their young ones, because flu season has arrived.

She stressed that parents in particular, must be extra cautious, as children are often the greatest victims of the flu.

She advised parents to keep their sick children at home, noting that schools can be dangerous incubators for viruses.

“Parents must not send their children to schools when they have the flu, because their child can easily spread the infection to others and the child’s illness can also rapidly increase and become worse,” she noted.

Dr Huma said the most common symptoms of the flu are fever, body aches, pain in throat, runny nose, sneezing, fatigue and headaches.

“Abdominal upset, loose stools and vomiting are also common in children.” “These viruses are always in the environment and in the air, but whenever they find a suitable environment, which is humidity and winter, they rapidly spread.”

Winter is the season for cold and flu, so people must keep warm, she advised.

The number of cases would have decreased if people had taken their vaccinations at the right time, she mentioned. Dr Huma said that children, pregnant women and chronic lung and heart patients were the most vulnerable during the winter season.