According to the Ministry of Health, the flu outbreak started in the second week of December. Stating that it is never too late for the flu vaccine, Prof. Dr. Meral Sönmezoğlu: "The vaccine can protect people who have not yet contracted the disease. It is beneficial to vaccinate people in the risk group.”

Epidemics announced with different names such as swine flu and rhinoceros virus are adversely affecting many people these days. Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Specialist Prof. Dr. Meral Sönmezoğlu: "In 2009, when the swine flu epidemic emerged, we saw more patients than ever before in the world and Turkey. Today, humans have developed an immunity to the swine flu virus. There is also the swine flu virus in flu vaccines. I can say that the disease is not as life-threatening as it used to be.”

Who is in Danger?

Prof. Dr. Meral Sönmezoğlu: ''There is a group that creates danger. They are people over 65 years of age whose immunity does not work well, people with lung diseases such as COPD, patients with respiratory failure, people receiving cancer treatment, and pregnant women. Since the immune system does not work well, there is a higher risk of life-threatening disease in this group. In healthy people, there is not much danger anymore.”

Pregnant Women Need to be Particularly Careful

Stating that people in the risk group should be vaccinated, Prof. Dr. Sönmezoğlu continued:

"The idea is to be vaccinated in September and October before the outbreak begins. However, it should not be forgotten that it is not too late for vaccination. Because the epidemic continues to decrease until the end of March. The current vaccine may protect people who have not yet contracted the disease. It is necessary to emphasize pregnant women in particular. Because they are at risk of miscarriage and premature birth. The flu can cause this. The disease can also threaten the life in pregnant women. It is useful to vaccinate people who will spend their pregnancy in the winter months. We are vaccinating pregnant women and those who have just given birth."

"Eat Rich in Protein"

Underlining that the most effective method that protects the immune system is adequate sleep and nutrition, Prof. Dr. Sönmezoğlu listed the measures that can be taken as follows: “For this, first of all, it is necessary to pay attention to sleep and nutrition. It is absolutely necessary to spend time outdoors, avoiding the cold, and avoid stress as much as possible. It is also important to take hygiene measures such as consuming citrus rich in vitamin C, avoiding people who sneeze-cough, and washing hands frequently. In addition, it should be rich in protein. Eggs, dairy products, yogurt, meat, vegetables, and fruits should not be neglected, especially in the winter.”

Consume Half a Lemon, Turmeric, and Ginger Every Morning

Emphasizing that it is a protective formula against infections, Prof. Dr. Sönmezoğlu:

"Ginger, lemon juice, and turmeric to be thrown into warm water is extremely effective. You can use this mixture as soon as you feel the disease begin. When you wake up in the morning every day, putting half a lemon, 1 teaspoon of ginger, and 1 teaspoon of turmeric freshly squeezed into a warm glass of water creates a protective effect. At the same time, rosehip, linden, and mint-lemon are extremely effective.

Rhino Virus Catarrh

Sönmezoğlu: "This is not a new virus. This goes away with a few days of runny nose, mild headache, and dry cough. If the nasal passages are not kept open, it may return to sinusitis later. Therefore, people who have this infection should pay attention to keeping their nose open. Salt water will prevent nasal congestion.”

Prof. Dr. Meral Sönmezoğlu also added: "Most respiratory infections are caused by viruses and antibiotics do not affect them. But unfortunately, because we as a country rely so much on antibiotics and expect so much from them, we use them even if we know they are viruses. This kills the beneficial bacteria in our bodies and disrupts the ecosystem.''

Press Coverage: hurriyet.com haberler.com