Tzanakis: What viruses will afflict us in January and February – Fears for schools

All respiratory infections are large (, COVID-19, RSV etc.), mainly after the end of the festive period. “We have a great rush. The flu has started very well in both children and adults,” says the professor of Pneumonology, Nikos Tzanakis, who does not hide his concern. As he says, there are outbreaks of cases even within hospitals. CORVERSE According to yesterday’s epidemiological report of the EODY, other types of viruses, such as post-pulmonary virus, are included. “There are outbreaks of flu cases even within hospitals. It has started cowardly – cowardly and the respiratory symphytonic virus (RSV) and there is a rhinovirus very, very bad that afflicts many people with cough. It appears to be a rock in the voice for a few days and a lot of cough and wheezing for many days. We’ve detected some incidents. He’s a rhinovirus, and he’s really hot. We will live I believe a “hot” January – February with these viruses before they start to deescalate,” the expert notes. Large spread of influenza A in the community – 19 year old in ICU Human post-pulmonary virus (hMPV) does not currently have much dispersal. And health authorities do not seem to be concerned, as they have been spotted in our country but in isolated incidents. CORVERSE Instead, there is anxiety about the incidence of influenza A, which occurs with very severe symptoms, high fever, chills and malaise. Flu A hurts young and old. Flu, which currently dominates other viral infections, leads to hospital and ICU people with underlying diseases. According to EOMI, the week after New Year’s and by January 5, 7 serious cases of flu were recorded. Hospitalization was required in ICU 3 men and 4 women, aged 19 to 81. The youngest patient admitted to ICU is only 19 years old. Unfortunately, in the same period a death was recorded from a laboratory confirmed flu. Data indicate an increase in flu-positiveness with the formula A to dominate the samples of the SARI surveillance network (Several Acute Respiratory Infection). At the same time, there is also a rise in the positiveness of samples for coronavirus. Pressure on the NSY and completeness at 100% in the Annunciation Method The opening of schools is expected to increase the transmission of viral infections and flu, while the major hospitals in Attica are already experiencing major congestion in the Emergency Departments and the Pneumonological and Pathological Clinics, without even reaching the peak of the phenomenon. “I think the images from the Emergency Departments, especially the major hospitals, are well known, with the congestion and inconvenience suffered by patients. There are tragic deficiencies in staff and those of us, we cannot deal with all this volume of patients,” he supports a Cardiologist – Entadicologist and president of the “Evangelism” Hospital Workers’ Association, George Ferentinos, who adds that the pressure is great in the ICU, with the fullness of reaching 100%. “There is an increase in patient attendance and hospitalization and in Pathological and Pneumonological clinics, but also in Intensive Treatment Units. For example, because we had a call the day before yesterday, we are 100% full in ICU. And the completeness in the other clinics Pathological and Pneumonological is particularly increased at this time, as they receive large numbers of patients, from these seasonal heavy incidents that need hospitalization,” he said in his recent statements in Kontra. Schools will worsen the situation The opening of schools will certainly increase the transmission of these viruses to the community, says Nikos Tzanakis: “On the one hand, children enter a fashioned and well-supervised structure and function, and this benefits sometimes. On the other hand, however, it still has harmful effects because it spreads the virus to other children who will take the virus to their families. So we have a dual attitude. Usually schools increase the incidence of viruses do not reduce it.” Epidemic wave climax is expected at a different time for each virus, according to Professor Pneumonology. “These viruses have different behaviors between them. The peak for the flu is expected in mid-February or mid-January. Soon after we wait for RSV, while coronavirus has no seasonality, so we can’t predict his behavior. We estimate that it will probably go towards the end of January, through mid or late February at the peak. And we have cases of coronavirus, we are not in remission, but it is no more than last year and it is no more than flu,” Nikos Tzanakis notes. Deficiencies in Tamiflu influenza The increase in flu cases led to shortages of Tamiflu antiviral medicine for adults. So the patients who need it are suffering during their search. The shelves of some Attica pharmacies are beginning to run out. There are deficiencies in the 75 mg dose for adults, while there is proficiency in children’s dosages: 30 mg (up to 2 years) and 45 mg (from 2 to 16 years). Speaking on Live News and Nikos Evangelatos, the Deputy Minister of Health, Marios Themistocleous, was reassuring to point out that deficiencies do not have a broad dimension. “It may not have been a daily proper distribution of pharmacies throughout the country. I mean, at some drugstore, there’s availability and at another drugstore there’s no. However, there is competence of the drugs and we are monitoring it. There is difficulty in this area in our country and in other countries. There is a very good new digital system that shows us the shortcomings. There’s no shortage. It may have been local in certain pharmacies,” he stressed. It is recalled that Tamiflu is granted exclusively with a prescription.