Temp dip: Docs recommend flu shots for high-risk patients

Srinagar, Oct 31: Amid dip in temperature in Kashmir valley over the past two weeks, doctors have advised people with weakened immune system to take precautionary measures to avoid risks.
Dr Naveed Nazir Shah, a top pulmonologist and HOD Chest Medicine, Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar said when winters come, temperature dips further and the atmospheric humidity also decreases which affects the immune system.
“Those people who are immune compromised like children and elderly people or patients are susceptible to chest infections and need to take extra care and consult their doctors,” he said.
He said those people who are immune compromised should not unnecessarily move out early morning and evening during the winter time and avoid from aggravating the symptoms.
“Although in the indoors they should maintain proper temperature but they also have to take care of ventilation in room which is equally important for them,” he said.
Dr Naveed also said that respiratory tract infections (RTI) also go up in the winter months and high risk patients and people should take the flu vaccines.
Last week, the Health Department Kashmir had issued an advisory about influenza and asked people to take precautionary measures.
“Influenza is an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract. Although the large majority of cases of influenza are a self-limiting upper respiratory infection, complications can and do occur. The influenza virus has subtypes A, B and C Type A and B gives rise to epidemics, but influenza A is known to cause pandemics. Type C infection usually causes either a very mid-respiratory illness or no symptoms at all, it does not cause epidemics. Influenza (flu) is a common contagious illness that spreads every year from October through winter,” the advisory said.
The advisory said the virus spreads from person to person just like normal seasonal flu, inhaled droplets from coughing/sneezing and droplets and surfaces.
The advisory asked people to take precautions. “Avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth, germs etc. Stay home if you get sick. Stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep the infection away,” it added.
The advisory advised people to take precautions given the rise in influenza viruses that cause infectious disease known as flu.