Last year, the flu pandemic ran from January to February, and this year, more and more people are already sick with the flu.
In fact, according to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, there were 77,425 patients who visited a fixed-point influenza medical institution (data on December 2019, 12). Approximately 18 people have consulted medical institutions throughout Japan including non-fixed points since week 2019 of 36. It is a sign that it is likely to become popular earlier than usual.
Influenza, unlike a cold, is highly contagious and spreads through airborne infections such as coughing and sneezing in patients.
Also, be careful not only because of high fever, but also serious complications such as pneumonia.
This time,
- Is this a cold or flu?
- Complications with flu? Is there really death?
- Will the flu vaccine work or not?
- Will influenza vaccination work in January?
- Is wearing a mask useless?
- Is there a way to build a strong flu?
- How to make exquisite “egg sake”
I will explain about such questions.
First of all, the difference between flu and cold
About influenza
A contagious respiratory illness caused by infection of the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs by the flu virus, which can cause mild to severe illness and can even lead to death, depending on the patient's physical strength.
Differences between flu and cold
If you want to know if you're just a cold or flu, see the table below.
* This is only a guide. If you are uneasy, please consult a doctor.
| symptom | influenza | cold |
|---|---|---|
| (Virus name) | Influenza virus | Adenovirus, rhinovirus, coronavirus |
| How to proceed with symptoms | Sudden onset | May develop gradually and last longer |
| heat | Usually lasts 3-4 days | May not come out |
| Muscle pain, joint pain | Quite hurts | May hurt |
| chill | strong | May not be |
| Feeling tired | Yes | May not be |
| sneeze | Come out quite | Often appear |
| stuffy nose | Yes | Well clogged |
| sore throat | May not be | Often hurts |
| headache | Yes | May not be |
| complications | Sinusitis, bronchitis, ear infections, pneumonia (can be fatal) | Ear infections |
Flu symptoms
Now that we know the difference between the flu and the cold, let's take a closer look at the symptoms of the flu.
The flu starts suddenly without any warning. If you have any of the following symptoms, suspect a flu infection.
- Feel fever, slight fever, chills (some people do not have fever)
- Cough
- Severe muscle pain, headache, dizziness, fatigue
- Chest, abdominal pain or tightness
- Vomiting and diarrhea (common in children)
- Urinary insufficiency
- Chronic medical condition worsening
* The above symptoms are not necessarily the effects of influenza. Be sure to consult a medical institution without self-judgment, as there may be other illnesses.
How is the flu transmitted?
FluAirborneTo do.
- cough
- sneeze
- Saliva flying during conversation ... Imagine "flying the corner bubbles".
- Touching the flu patient and touching his / her mouth, nose, eyes, etc. with his / her hand
* If you cough or sneeze, the splash will spread up to one meter away.
Influenza incubation and remission periods
Roughly2 days for flu infection and symptoms, But there are the following differences depending on the type of influenza.
Rapid heat over 38 ° C
Strong pain in the whole body such as muscle pain
Cough, runny nose, nausea
37 ° C fever
Strong pain in the whole body such as muscle pain
Abdominal pain, diarrhea
High fever in about 2 days
Difficult to distinguish from cold
Therefore, if a person who was fine the day before became symptomatic the next day, it may be better to call out to friends and others who had met yesterday, saying, "Maybe you have had the flu."
The flu is usually relieved around a week, but some people have severe symptoms.
Flu Complications
The flu can cause severe symptoms. that is"Influenza encephalopathy" and "pneumonia".
1. What is influenza encephalopathy?
Fever swollen brainConsciousness disorder and KerenSymptoms may appear.
It can occur mainly in children under the age of 5, and can be fatal if severely ill.
In addition, childrenOtitis mediaIt is also easy to take.
2, What is pneumonia
Influenza infection reduces resistance, causing secondary infections and pneumonia.
mainlySymptoms common in the elderly.
Complications are common in children and the elderly, but the following people also need to be especially careful because they are more likely to become severe and complications.
- Pregnant women after 28 weeks
- Patients with chronic respiratory disease
- Patients with chronic heart disease
- Kidney disease patients
- Immune dysfunction patients
- Obese people
How to prevent flu
Infected with the fluDangerous period when the first 4 days are transmitted to othersIt is said thatMay spread to others from 1 day before the onset of flu symptoms to 5-7 days,It has been with.
Basics of influenza prevention-vaccine
Influenza is said to be transmitted by coughing, sneezing, and saliva when speaking, so it is often said that "avoid crowds."
But that is not realistic. You have to take a crowded train to go to work, and in the office you keep the windows closed.
Therefore, the first recommendation is vaccination.
1.Best timing for influenza vaccination
In the Nansei Islands such as OkinawaInfluenza even in SeptemberWill occur. The so-called "summer cold" is also called influenza. Influenza is occurring all year round.
However, it is said that the summer flu isn't enough to get you excited.
It is the winter flu from December to March, when cold and dry seasons must be seriously prevented.
2, influenza vaccine inoculated from November to early December
Usually, the recommended vaccine dose is about two weeks before the flu epidemic.
The vaccine does not take effect immediately after vaccination.
Blood antibodies do not activate after 2 weeksIt is
After that, the effect lasts for about 4-5 months.
Therefore, we would like to try to vaccinate as soon as possible by referring to the influenza epidemic level map of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and influenza information published by each prefecture.
It is not too late to forget influenza vaccination in March and December
Modern people who are busy.
Don't regret that you missed the chance to go to the hospital and suddenly all of you were infected with the flu.
As mentioned above, the peak of influenza is from December to March of the following year, so even if the vaccine is given in January, the risk of onset until March is low.
4.Know that influenza vaccination is not always effective
Don't worry, you've got the flu vaccine and you're OK.
Because the flu virus changes every year,Not 100% perfect.
However, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has decided on a vaccine based on past experience with the influenza virus that will prevail this year.
A (H1N1) type, A Hong Kong type, B type, C type■Because it is assumed from either,No effect can be expected if a new influenza virus occursmaybe.
* People infected with B and C in the past have antibodies. However, those who have been infected with type A in the past may be infected again because there are 144 variants of type A.
However, it is not wise to cancel the vaccination here, saying that the influenza vaccination costs 3,600 yen but the probability of prevention is not 100%!
Damage caused by not inoculating can be reducedIf you think positively and inoculate early, you may feel safe.
Influenza Prevention-Things to Do Besides Vaccination
Vaccination is the biggest prevention, but its effectiveness is not 100% perfect. This means that other flu prevention measures are needed, but the first thing to mention here is the mask.
please wear a mask
Influenza is often transmitted from droplets such as saliva of infected peopleThing.* In addition, the equipment that the infected person touched, straps from public institutions, keyboards of personal computers, etc., also live for 24 hours, causing infection.
When an infected person sneezes or coughs,Splashes fly about 1mSo, it's only natural to wear a mask for self-defense.
1, Actually, masking has no effect?
Recently, many people choose surgical masks.
However, surgical masks originally used in hospitals do not protect doctors, they were made to prevent relatively large particles secreted from the doctor's nose and mouth from entering the patient's wound. .
Therefore,It is impossible to block very small particles flying from the outside with coughing and sneezingIt has been with.
2, Does a mask increase the risk of infection?
And more troublesome,Considerable bacteria are attached to the surface of the mask, and when the wearer touches his or her eyes or ears with the hand that touched the surface of the mask, the bacteria move there, so even if you are wearing a mask you will be infected It has been.
Even if you don't touch your face so much,I touch my face 1 times an hour, And there is also data. If it is the nose or mouth, bacteria can enter the trachea and easily become infected with the flu.
Also, if you touch a switch or appliance in the room with your hand that touched the mask surface,Bacteria survive for 24 hoursContinue to do. If someone touches it and touches his nose or mouth with his finger, it will be infected.
In the experiment,Bacteria on the mask surface increase in just 2 hoursBe careful not to touch the mask surface or your faceExchange every 2 hoursSome sites recommend.
The United States states, "We do not recommend using a mask on the go for people who do not have the flu symptoms." The bacteria are attached to the surface of the mask and are consequently useless.
And, after all, for preventionThe best measures are vaccination, "frequent hand washing", "don't touch your face"It is said.
3, Is there a mask that can be relieved?
That being said, it's hard to get on a train or go out into the crowd without a mask.
FDA■Recommends the 3M ™ Fine Particle Mask for use by the general public in public health emergencies.
* FDA stands for Food and Drug Administration. It has strong authority and wide-ranging regulations to approve and regulate products that are often accessed by consumers, such as food and medicine.
photo by Amazon.co.jp
- Contents: 50 pieces
- Feature: N95 mask that becomes three-dimensional when worn and improves adhesion
- Others: Particle collection efficiency 95.0% or more
Influenza prevention-effective hand washing after going out
When you return home, wash your hands immediately.
How to wash your hands
After washing for 10 seconds with hand soap, rinse for 15 seconds with running water twice
Then, there is an experimental result that the number of norovirus remains (about 0.0001%), so please refer to it.
Gargle may be done if you feel refreshed, but it is said that it does not make sense because the influenza virus that has invaded the respiratory tract cannot be removed.
Also, if you expect your hands to be contaminated on a bus or train, consider using portable disinfecting goods that are resistant to viruses and bacteria.
photo by Amazon.co.jp
- Exterior dimensions: width 60mm x gusset 27mm x length 137m
- Amount: 40ml x 5
- Usage: Rub evenly on fingertips until dry.
Influenza prevention-moderate humidity and room temperature
Influenza virus is sensitive to humidity,It has been with.
Influenza activity usually occurs during low humidity and low temperatures.
The dry and cold air of this period has reduced the function of the mucous membrane that wraps influenza virus and garbage with mucus and discharges it out of the body.
Indoor humidity is 50-60%, room temperature is 20-25 ℃Let's keep it.
photo by Amazon.co.jp
- Size: 45 × 18 × 41.7cm
- Tank capacity: About 2.7L
- Cleaning: Automatic filter cleaning operation
- Floor area: up to about 4.5 tatami (6.9m2) without thermal insulation, up to about 50 tatami (8m12.9) with insulation 2mm
It will also be a countermeasure for all diseases! How to "enhance immunity in advance"
Usually, those who have strong immunity recover from influenza infection in about one week, but the prognosis may be prolonged even if the above measures are taken.
In order to prevent such a thing, let's raise immunity in advance to prevent infection with influenza.
Improve sleep quality and immunity
I'm not saying that increasing sleep can prevent the disease,Lack of sleep adversely affects the immune systemAnd make it more susceptible to colds and flu.
Known for activating immune cells that fight infection and inflammationCytokines are mainly produced during sleepWill be
Therefore, chronic sleep deprivation reduces cytokines and damages the efficacy of influenza vaccines.
So how do you improve sleep quality? Here are some ways to improve your immunity with sake.
1, take sake yeast
Lion Corporation has discovered a substance that enhances sleep quality. Its name is Sake Yeast.
Sake yeast is a "naturally occurring microorganism" required to make sake by fermenting rice.
Sake is a liquid obtained by filtering the moromi produced by fermenting rice with yeast, but most sake is burned afterwards, so the yeast died. Yeast intake from sake seems impossible.
But,In the case of unfiltered unburned sake, yeast may be aliveIf you regularly drink unfiltered sake without burning, you may be able to improve sleep quality.
By the way, I saw the face of Naohiko Noguchi, who is also called "the god of sake brewing," but I don't think she will be 88 this year. Is glossy skin a gift of being involved in sake brewing since the age of 16?
photo by Amazon.co.jp
- Contents: 720 ml
- Frequency: 18 degrees
- Rice polishing rate: 60%, Ginjo sake level
2.Drink sake 100 minutes before entering the futon
Seiji Nishino of Stanford University, who is well known for his sleep research, writes in his book that a small amount of sake improves sleep.
Drink at that timeThe amount of sake is about 1 go. Please note that drinking a large amount is counterproductive!
See the following articles for details.
Warm the "nose" with egg yogurt to repel the virus
The nose protects the body from invading viruses from outsidedoing.
But,Capillary vessels shrink as body cools and temperature inside nose dropsIn addition, the nose cannot perform its defensive function because blood circulation in the nose is poor. The virus enters the body as it is.
Therefore, we recommend the Japanese soul drink “egg sake”. As the body warms, so does the inside of the nose.
Also, if you drink early in the cold, lysozyme in the egg white will fight the bacteria.
1, the effect of sake and egg yolk
For sake,
- Warms the body
- Improve sleep quality
- Warm body and open capillaries
There are also effects such as.
Egg yolk is rich in nutrientsBiotin, an amino acid and vitaminIt also works to create healthy cells.
Since you can arrange honey and ginger, you can drink without getting tired.
2. How to make recommended "egg sake"
- Egg: 1
- Sake: 1 go
- Honey: 2 tablespoons
- A little ginger if you like
- Thaw the eggs and put them in a mug through a tea strainer. Straining produces a smooth finish without "damaging".
- Put sake in a small pot and boil over low heat to remove alcohol.
- While the sake is hot, slowly pour it into the mug and mix with chopsticks or a spoon.
- Put the honey etc. and it is ready.
You can use any kind of sake, but if you can, it's recommended that you add some delicious sake.
photo by Amazon.co.jp
- Kuramoto: Fukushima popular sake brewing
- Awards: 2017 Kanshu Sake Contest Best Gold Award
- Taste characteristics: Delicious hot sake in winter as well as in summer
- Others: Sake of sake brewery used at Formula Nippon award ceremony
Drink hot egg wine to warm up and raise the temperature inside your nose to fight off the virus.
Even inadequate mouth care can cause flu !?
Did you know that people who care about oral hygiene are less susceptible to influenza?
vice versa,In the mouth of a person who does not care for oral cavity, there is an enzyme derived from periodontal disease bacteria, making it more susceptible to influenzaIt is
Oral care is based on daily brushing, but teeth account for 25% of the mouth. Simply brushing your teeth will not help.
Then what should I do?
Customizing tongue polishing
The tongue is crowded with tongue moss, which makes it easier for the virus to attach to it.
Tongue polishing is said to be enough once a day. Too much care will destroy the taste bud function that senses the taste.
Use a tongue brush instead of a toothbrush.
Bacteria are growing during sleep, so shine your tongue first in the morningWe recommend that you do.
photo by Amazon.co.jp
- Contents: 85g gel + 1 exclusive tongue brush + 7g mini gel
- Product detail: A gel that prevents bad breath and keeps the mouth clean. Removes sticky bacteria and bacteria that cause bad breath.
Conclusion: I'm okay but I'm scattering viruses around
The most effective way to prevent influenza is to improve vaccination and daily lifestyle. I wrote various things, but it is as follows.
- vaccination
- Hand washing
- Wearing a mask
- Good sleep
- Appropriate humidity and temperature
- Oral care
In addition,
- People who take antipyretics or steroids on a daily basis
- Elderly people with low immunity
Is often overlooked because it lacks the fever characteristic of influenza. Sometimes she does not know herself and she sheds the flu virus to increase her number of patients.
The people around you are also tough, but be careful as they may become serious without your knowledge.
Others return to work without waiting for a full recovery due to work, which also creates new flu patients.
In order to avoid such a situation, if you feel any abnormality in your body, be sure to consult a hospital.
Reference materials
· "Influenza epidemic level mapNIID National Institute of Infectious Diseases
· "Flu or cold symptoms?WebMD
・ LiuZhiqing et al.Surgical masks as a source of bacterial contamination during operative procedures"ScienceDirect
· "Prevention Strategies for Seasonal Influenza in Healthcare SettingsUS Department of Health & Human Services
・ Kwok YL et al.Face touching: a frequent habit that has implications for hand hygiene.NCBI
· "Masks and N95 RespiratorFDA
· "Effect of hand washing time and frequencyNational Institute of Health Sciences
・ Penelope A. Bryant et al.Sick and tired: does sleep have a vital role in the immune system?Springer Nature
・ Nakamura Y et al.Oral administration of Japanese sake yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae sake) promotes non-rapid eye movement sleep in mice via adenosine A2A receptors.NCBI
・ Abe S et al.Professional oral care reduces influenza infection in the elderly.NCBI
