"Does your child have a cold?" Since January, the flu has become a frequent topic in Ms. Chen's chat with other parents. Fortunately, I finally "got" to the school for winter vacation, but I will take my children back to my hometown for the New Year. "I am especially worried that the child will catch a cold and have a fever on the way back to his hometown." Ms. Chen told reporters.

Recently, according to data released by the China Influenza Surveillance Network, the southern and northern provinces of my country are at the peak of the influenza epidemic in the winter and spring of 2018-2019. So who is the culprit for this wave of influenza "raging"? When the flu "crashes" during the Spring Festival, how should adults and children respond effectively?

　The flu is not a cold "culprit" is a H1N1

"Influenza is an acute disease caused by human infection with influenza virus. It is different from the'common cold' in the cause. It is not the same disease, let alone the two." Liu Qingquan, an expert of the national influenza medical treatment expert group and President of Beijing Hospital of traditional Chinese medicine, said that influenza is highly contagious and the influenza virus is changeable, so there will be different influenza viruses in different seasons and years.

According to the official platform of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the main subtype of influenza virus detected in this year's influenza season is H1N1. Li Zhongjie, a researcher at the Department of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, also said in an interview with relevant media that "type A accounts for the vast majority, more than 90%, and type B is very low".

It is reported that the H1N1 influenza virus strain contains the gene fragments of swine flu, bird flu and human flu. The population is generally susceptible to the H1N1 influenza virus, and can be transmitted from person to person. The early symptoms of influenza A infection are similar to those of ordinary influenza, including fever, cough, sore throat, body pain, headache, chills and fatigue. "In addition to symptoms similar to ordinary colds, influenza, including influenza A, will generally show some symptoms of systemic poisoning, such as fatigue, muscle soreness, and mental distress." Bao Zhongying, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, said in an interview with a reporter from Science and Technology Daily.

How is the public being "ravaged" by influenza this winter? "This winter's climate changes greatly, with hot and cold, internal heat accumulation, exogenous wind-cold causing high fever, manifested as surface cold and internal heat, fever, cough, sore throat and both cold, muscle aches, headache, etc., fever generally lasts about 5 days." Liu Qingquan pointed out.

Although the flu has been "dominating the screen" this winter, data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Control show that the overall activity level of influenza viruses across the country is lower than the same period in 2018. Relevant experts also pointed out that in terms of the existing data on the scope of influenza activity, severe cases, and virus mutation capabilities, this year's influenza is not more serious than in previous years.

　　Vaccine and wear a mask to prevent influenza during the Spring Festival.

Although the real situation is not as serious as the legend, it is really a crime to get the flu. In daily life, how should we scientifically and effectively carry out prevention?

"Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent influenza. It is recommended that the public go to local designated medical institutions at all levels to vaccinate voluntarily at their own expense from September to November every year." Pan Na, deputy chief physician of the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Aviation General Hospital of China Medical University, told the reporter of Science and Technology Daily that because the influenza virus strains circulating in different years are generally different, it is recommended that the public receive a new influenza vaccine every year.

"In addition to vaccination, prevention should also start from the following three aspects: staying away from the source of infection, cutting off the route of transmission, and enhancing autoimmunity." Pan Na said that once flu-like symptoms are found, they should be treated as soon as possible and isolated accordingly. Healthy people should try to avoid contact with flu patients; during the peak period of flu, they should avoid crowded places. If they need to travel, they should wear masks. When coughing or sneezing, It is best to keep a distance of more than one meter from others to effectively prevent the spread of droplets; in daily life, we should ensure enough sleep, avoid fatigue, drink more water, avoid catching cold, maintain balanced nutrition, strengthen exercise, improve our own quality, build a self-protection barrier, and resist the invasion of influenza virus.

Chinese medicine has similar flu prevention recommendations. In Liu Qingquan's view, due to the rapid change in temperature, we should pay attention to timely increase or decrease of clothing to keep warm and cold, that is, "suitable for cold and heat". Secondly, because people like tonic in winter, it is easy to produce heat accumulation memory, and it is easy to induce influenza. Therefore, it is recommended to eat a light diet and not to over-warm tonic. Thirdly, the combination of work and rest is also essential. The pace of modern life is fast. People like to stay up late, do not exercise, have weak disease resistance, and are more likely to be infected by influenza virus. Therefore, special attention should be paid to rest and exercise. In addition, traditional Chinese medicine foot bath, fumigation, massage and other external treatment methods can also enhance physical fitness and recommend the public to use it properly in daily life.

Although doctors have repeatedly warned to avoid going to crowded areas when the flu is "raging", the Spring Festival is approaching, the country is ushering in the peak of passenger flow before the Spring Festival, and railway stations and bus stations are crowded. Although compared with the temptation to go home and reunite, the flu is bound to "stand aside", but the necessary prevention and treatment work should also be prepared in order to be healthy and healthy.

"Vaccination in advance according to the itinerary and wearing masks during travel are effective preventive measures." Bao Zhongying told reporters that the vaccine currently used in China is inactivated vaccine, which is more safe. The vaccine generally produces antibodies for a period of 2 weeks, so vaccination should be given at least 2 weeks before travel. The role of masks is two-way, not only to avoid their own contact with the spread of influenza virus in dense population, but also to block the way of transmission of influenza virus to others. If you do not wear a mask, you should also pay attention to cover your mouth and nose with your cuffs when coughing or sneezing, and try not to use your hands to prevent the flu virus from spreading again when your hands touch other places.

　　Low probability of serious complications Focus on high-risk groups

The harm of influenza is not big or small. I believe that everyone has "hit the trick". Some people can recover after two or three days of malaise, while others may cause serious complications and even threaten their lives.

According to statistics from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the end of 2017, as many as 650000 people worldwide die from respiratory diseases related to seasonal influenza each year.

Bao Zhongying pointed out that influenza is not a simple respiratory infectious disease, but a systemic syndrome. In severe cases, it can affect multiple organs and cause toxic myocarditis, necrotizing encephalitis, and pneumonia. Taking pneumonia as an example, influenza virus invades the trachea and bronchi along the respiratory tract, and finally reaches the alveoli, causing lung inflammation, thereby damaging the respiratory ventilation function; on the other hand, influenza virus infection may also be combined with other pathogens (such as bacteria, Mycoplasma or other types of viruses, etc.) infection, further causing lung organ necrosis, and may even cause respiratory failure.

"Objectively speaking, the incidence of serious illness caused by influenza is very low, but the public should not take it lightly." Bao Zhongying believes that some high-risk groups should focus on prevention and go to regular medical institutions in time for infection.

"Influenza high-risk groups mainly include children under 5 years old, the elderly over 65 years old, obese people, pregnant women, and patients with autoimmune system, chronic respiratory system, chronic diabetes, and cardiovascular system diseases. The probability of complications is relatively high, and special attention should be paid to prevention and timely intervention measures." Panna said that children under the age of 2 are more likely to suffer from serious complications, while other people with underlying diseases have relatively low immunity and are easy to be recruited ". As early as last year, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued influenza vaccination guidelines before the influenza season, and also put forward relevant suggestions for the above-mentioned people to strengthen protection.