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Influenza wave could once again flare up with the carnival new
Sore throat, cough, runny nose: The current cold and flu epidemic significantly increases sales of over-the-counter medicines. Experts warn: During carnival time, significantly more people could become infected. Therefore, some tips should be followed to prevent infections.
Protect against infections
The severe flu epidemic is currently causing countless people in bed with complaints such as cough, sore throat and fever. In order to protect yourself from an infection, it is basically useful to strengthen the immune system and to keep away from patients. Especially the latter should prove difficult during the carnival.
The cold and flu epidemic causes sales of over-the-counter medicines to double annually. At carnival time, the number of infected could increase further. (Image: Gina Sanders - fotolia.com) Cold wave could get new impetus to carnival
According to experts, the wave of cold could get new momentum with the carnival and the accompanying festivities.
Stefan Fink, pharmacist from Weimar and member of the board of the German Pharmacists Association (DAV) said in a message from the news agency dpa: "Many people in one place with body contact is of course for viruses and bacteria an Eldorado. Because you are especially close in the foolish time, the pathogens spread very well. "
In addition, the risk of infection is amplified by the cold in combination with alcohol. "So you should not overdo it with champagne, wine and Co. In addition, warm clothes at the carnival parade is announced, thick winter boots, for example, even if it does not match the costume, "said the expert.
Home remedies can help
If you still get a cold or flu, you should rest as long as possible until the disease has subsided. In many cases, home remedies can relieve the symptoms.
Ginger, honey and onions are ideal for treating colds quickly. Medicines are often recommended by health professionals only in severe disease.
Sales of over-the-counter cold remedies doubled
Nevertheless, many people quickly resort to tablets and Co. According to the dpa report, the cold and flu epidemic can increase the sales of over-the-counter products every year to twice that. According to this, snuff, sore throat and hoarseness were reflected in sales this winter as well.
According to DAV figures, in the fourth quarter of 2016 alone, customers spent around € 452 million on preparations for painkillers, nasal sprays and cough syrup. This was more than in the second and third quarter of 2016 together.
According to the information, about 62 million drug packages went over the counter in the fourth quarter of 2016. In summer, there are only 30 to 35 million per quarter.
"The current sales figures since October 2016 indicate that the cold wave is still in full swing," said Fink. "The acute need of people of cold remedies of all kinds in the cold season is usually twice as high as in the summer months."
Increasing influenza activity
"The flu epidemic in Germany continues to increase with influenza activity," writes the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in the current "Epidemiological Bulletin". According to the Institute, 14,242 laboratory-confirmed influenza cases have been transmitted to the RKI for the 5th reporting week in 2017 so far.
Commenting on the latest findings on the efficacy of the current season's vaccine, RKI experts say: "Even though the vaccine protects less than half of those vaccinated from influenza, the prevalence of influenza can increase the incidence of influenza large number of diseases are prevented. Therefore, influenza vaccination remains the best prevention measure at the population level to reduce the risk of disease. "(Ad)