How to prevent the overlapping epidemic risks of influenza and COVID-19？

　　CCTV News:Because the clinical symptoms of influenza, cold and COVID-19 are similar, how to identify and treat them accurately as soon as possible? Besides influenza vaccination, what other protective measures can prevent influenza? Let’s listen to the opinions of experts.

　　Light and ordinary COVID-19 is not easy to distinguish from influenza.

　　The "Influenza Diagnosis and Treatment Plan" issued by National Health Commission clearly pointed out that the temperature of influenza can reach 39℃-40℃, with chills, general symptoms such as sore muscles and joints, fatigue, loss of appetite, sore throat, dry cough, nasal congestion, runny nose, discomfort behind the sternum, conjunctival congestion and so on. Some patients have mild or no symptoms.

　　COVID-19 and influenza are both respiratory infectious diseases, and the clinical symptoms and signs such as fever and cough are basically the same. In clinical differentiation, mild and common influenza in COVID-19 is not easy to distinguish from influenza, and all of them are characterized by fever, dry cough, sore throat and other symptoms, which are similar to the clinical manifestations of severe and critical influenza, and should be differentiated by combining epidemiological history and etiology.

　　Tian Geng, Director of xuanwu hospital Infectious Diseases Department of Capital Medical University:Cold, influenza and COVID-19 are all infectious diseases of respiratory tract, and the clinical symptoms are very difficult to identify, which must be identified by molecular biological methods, that is, nucleic acid detection. If you are in a high-risk area or an epidemic area in COVID-19 where cases have been reported, it is not recommended to control the symptoms of a cold by taking cold medicine on your own, and it is recommended to seek medical advice as soon as possible.

　　Be alert to the possible serious risk of childhood influenza or superimposed COVID-19.

　　Experts emphasize that attention should be paid to the severe risks that may be brought by children’s influenza or COVID-19. Children in the younger age group suffer from influenza, which is a very important source of infection, with higher rates of medical treatment and hospitalization and longer virus carrying time.

　　Wu Liqun, Director of Pediatrics, Oriental Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine:The incidence of influenza in children is relatively high, that is, in this flu season, three out of 10 people may be infected with influenza, so the incidence of influenza will be higher in the high-incidence season, reaching 50%. On the whole, the symptoms caused by influenza in COVID-19 will be mild, but if it is combined with influenza, it will be severe, and the proportion of severe influenza in children is also relatively high, especially for children under 5 years old.

　　Children with fever and other symptoms should report to the doctor in time.

　　Experts especially suggest that kindergarten children and primary and secondary school students face group life, and once they have symptoms such as fever, they should pay attention to it.

　　Tian Geng, Director of xuanwu hospital Infectious Diseases Department of Capital Medical University:First of all, we should report it in time, and contact the nearest hospital in time to find out the cause of the child’s fever. If it is COVID-19 or other infectious diseases, we should isolate all the children’s classes. If it is a common cold, the children who see the doctor can be isolated at home.

　　When parents of children with flu symptoms go to the hospital, they should also protect themselves, such as wearing masks, to avoid cross-infection. When influenza-like cases occur in schools, kindergartens and other collective units, patients should rest at home to reduce the spread of the disease.

　　Whether it is to prevent influenza or COVID-19, maintaining good personal hygiene habits is an important means, including: wearing a mask, washing hands frequently, and trying to avoid going to crowded places; After flu symptoms appear, cover your nose and mouth with paper towels and towels when coughing and sneezing, and then wash your hands; Try to avoid contact with eyes, nose or mouth. When family members have flu patients, they should try to avoid close contact, especially when there are elderly people and patients with chronic diseases at home.