Bhubaneswar: Even as the fear of the fourth wave of Covid-19 stalks India, thousands of people in Odisha have been affected by cold, cough and fever giving rise to apprehensions of the spread of the infection again.
Every day, hundreds of people are seen queuing up at the OPD of different hospitals and healthcare facilities with problems like colds, coughs and fevers. Health experts have described it as the seasonal flu and advised people to adopt precautionary measures to avoid hospitalisation. According to them, children, people above the age of 60 years and those with comorbid symptoms need to be extra-cautious.
Health experts said that the vulnerable group should opt for flu vaccination which is available since 2009. “Children, people with diabetes, immune disorders, heart problems and comorbid conditions are especially vulnerable to this seasonal flu,” said one health expert.
Odisha Public Health Director, Dr Niraj Mishra added that those with respiratory problems and low blood pressure are also susceptible to flu-related pneumonia and need to take additional precautions. “People need to be cautious and wear masks to avoid catching the flu. In addition, those who are already suffering from influenza should remain in isolation and practice Covid appropriate behaviour. They should take the same precautions as they would in case of being affected by Covid-19,” Dr Mishra said.
Responding to a question, Dr Mishra said that though vaccination is available for the seasonal flu, there is no advisory from the government to initiate mass vaccination right away. He as well as other health experts advised people already suffering from the seasonal flu to take regular doses of paracetamol. Wearing masks is also important, they emphasised.
