A New Flu Outbreak is Expected Every 10 Years

The swine flu virus of 2009, which scared Turkey and was considered a pandemic because it spread to the continents, started to be seen again in the winter months. Yeditepe University Hospitals Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Specialist Prof. Dr. Meral Sönmezoğlu announced that the flu, called swine flu, first emerged in 2009 with an epidemic and that within 10 years, people's immunity to the virus increased. However, it has changed shape every 10 years and it is expected that there will be another epidemic with a virus that people are not immune to. Prof. Dr. Sönmezoğlu stated that vaccinating individuals over 65 years of age with chronic diseases and weak immunity will reduce the risk of loss of life. 

“We are Expecting an Outbreak in January”

Yeditepe University Hospital Koşuyolu Hospital Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Specialist Prof. Dr. Meral Sönmezoğlu stated that they expect the flu epidemic in the last week of December due to the decrease in temperature and gave various warnings: "The flu epidemic starts in the Northern Hemisphere countries and Turkey in the last week of December. We see much more in January and February, and it starts to decrease in March. As always, our cases have begun. At the moment, it is not epidemic in size, but we expect it to become epidemic in early January, but we can say that the flu has started. While most respiratory infections occur with mild fever, sore throat, cough, and weakness that resolve spontaneously in a week, influenza is a severe disease in the form of flu or medicine."

"A New Virus Will Come Every 10 Years, We are Waiting for it This Year"

Speaking about the swine flu epidemic that affected the whole world in 2009, Prof. Dr. Meral Sönmezoğlu: "The flu, which is called swine flu, first emerged in 2009 with the epidemic. It started in Mexico and came to Turkey six months later. This pandemic truly has changed the world. It was different from the influenza viruses that had been seen up until then, and it was called swine flu because it first appeared on a pig farm and then showed the ability to pass on to humans. Many people died. Usually, outbreaks begin with a brand new virus 10 years after such pandemics. There may not be a pandemic, but it always reaches the size of an epidemic. That is why we are giving it a little more important this year. This year, a new virus is coming, and we expect that people will encounter a virus that is not immune and that it can exceed the epidemic size again.”

“Anti-Vaccination Weakens the Whole Community”

Stating that anti-vaccination weakens the whole society, Prof. Dr. Meral Sönmezoğlu: ''This affects not only people who are not vaccinated but also the whole society. It protects 100, 200 people behind the vaccination of a few people. If no one is vaccinated, the barriers are removed, and everyone becomes susceptible. That is why we need to use the vaccine, the biggest weapon we have.” Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Specialist Prof. Dr. Sönmezoğlu also said that after 2010, a vaccine that protects against swine flu was put into flu vaccines, and those who have been vaccinated since then are also protected against swine flu. 

Who Must be Vaccinated?

Stating that people in risk groups experience more complications due to the flu virus and the risk of loss of life is higher in these groups, Prof. Dr. Meral Sönmezoğlu listed the people in the risk group and who should be vaccinated as follows:

• Over 65 years of age and without any discomfort,
• Have a chronic disease under the age of 65,
• Uses steroidal cortisone,
• Those with heart disease,
• Those with kidney and lung disease,
• Young children, pregnant women, those who take aspirin for a long time,
• Those who stay in nursing homes.

"When Someone Sneeze, Do Not Touch There"

Stating that the person carrying the flu virus spreads the virus by being within 1 meter or touching the places they touch, Prof. Dr. Sönmezoğlu continued as follows: "The influenza virus is definitely transmitted from the sick person to the susceptible person. It is transmitted by sneezing by the person who is sick or being within 1 meter while talking and by touching the sensitive person where the respiratory secretions s/he receives with his/her hands after sneezing. Hygiene is very important here. During the winter months, children should wash their hands frequently. Those who cough and sneeze must not cover their mouths with their hands.'' 

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