About sweating, the flu shot and your resistance
Fairy tales and ghost stories are told about the flu. It’s high time to dispel them for good and tell the real story. Jan Wilschut, professor of molecular virology at UMC Groningen, explains nine facts and fables about flu.
1. Once you’ve had the flu, you’ll be immune to it from now on.
No, sorry, but unfortunately… Flu is caused by the influenza virus. That virus comes in different subtypes, which in turn occur in all kinds of variants. Because those variants are also constantly changing, you can get the flu again and again.
2. The sicker people are from the flu, the sooner they infect others.
No, before they get sick they are even more contagious. The chance of infection mainly depends on the intensity of your social contacts. Wilschut: “It would be most effective to avoid carriers of the virus, but that is difficult because people do not show symptoms immediately after being infected. That takes four to five days with the flu virus. And it is during that period that you are most contagious. .” If the flu is prevalent, you can only prevent infection by isolating yourself from everyone.
3. In winter the resistance is lowered by the cold and therefore you are much more likely to get the flu.
Yes, you are more at risk in winter. And no, that’s not because of a low defense.
The flu virus mainly spreads through the air via small droplets (such as sneezing, coughing). As a result, the influenza virus spreads easily in crowded areas where people sit close to each other, such as at schools, on public transport, in open-plan offices or concert halls. In winter, these areas are often much less well ventilated and that is the reason that the flu occurs more often in this season. In addition, the flu virus spreads more easily through dry air and at low temperatures.
4. People who have the flu should wear a face mask.
Yes you can, but it only helps a little bit. The virus also spreads through objects that have been touched by the carrier of the virus, such as a doorknob, PC keyboard or faucet.
Not only people who do not want to get infected, but also the carriers of the virus often have to wash their hands. Coughing into the elbow instead of the hands can also help prevent spread. Just like using paper towels.
5. The flu shot doesn’t help anyway.
Not 100 percent, but vaccination does help. The annual flu shot protects against the virus variants contained in the vaccine. Because different flu viruses can circulate every year, you need a new flu shot every year. It does not always protect 100 percent, but those who do get the flu after the shot are often less bothered by it.
Wilschut: “The World Health Organization annually charts which influenza viruses are circulating the most. The production of a vaccine starts more than six months in advance. Usually the composition is exactly right. Sometimes there is a mismatch because there is still another variant of the flu virus. rears its head.”
6. Only the elderly need a flu shot.
No, many more people than the elderly alone benefit from the flu shot. Every year, more than 5 million Dutch people receive a call for the flu shot, including all people over 60. The flu shot is free for them, just like for people who run an extra risk of complications due to a chronic disease such as asthma or COPD, diabetes, kidney insufficiency, cardiovascular disease or a reduced resistance.
7. You won’t die from the flu
You can certainly die from the effects of the flu. The number of flu deaths in the Netherlands varies annually from several hundred to two thousand. Because their immune system is somewhat weaker, the elderly have a greater chance of complications, such as pneumonia or an additional (bacterial) infection. They are also hospitalized more often with the flu and can even die from it, even if they have had a flu shot.
8. If you have good resistance, you will get better faster.
Yes, that’s absolutely true. There is no effective cure for the flu. So there is nothing to do but get sick. If you have the flu, you have to make antibodies and immune cells to fight the virus. A well-functioning immune system is essential for this.
9. A warm groc helps to ‘sweat out’ the virus.
Some people swear by drinking a warm groc: brandy or rum, hot water, lemon and honey. Quite tasty perhaps, but it doesn’t help against the flu. However, alcohol lowers the body temperature slightly, which may make you feel a bit better.
Drinking a lot of tea or water is good, because you lose a lot of fluid when you have a fever. There are also remedies that can alleviate the symptoms. Paracetamol helps against the fever, a cough drink suppresses the cough stimulus and nasal spray makes the swollen nasal mucosa shrink so that you can breathe and sleep better.
Sources):
- Plus Magazine
