Flu outbreaks are high recently! How to take the right medicine? Experts remind: Seize the "golden 48 hours"

Recently, influenza has been prevalent in many places

What are the symptoms of influenza?

How to use medication during the “golden 48 hours”?

What should we pay attention to in daily disinfection?

Remember this knowledge quickly!

When influenza breaks out, seize the "golden 48 hours"

Experts remind that the 48 hours after the onset of influenza is called the "golden 48 hours" for self-help . If high-risk groups do not use effective antiviral drugs within 48 hours, the disease may develop into pneumonia, severe illness, etc. Drugs for treating influenza include oseltamivir and mabaloxavir . What is the difference between these two drugs? Click on the video to listen to the expert's answer↓

Oseltamivir dosage: twice a day, 5 days of medication course;

Mabaloxavir dosage: Take once.

Experts said that in terms of relieving symptoms, the two drugs are equivalent , and Mabaloxavir is better than Oseltamivir in reducing viral load. When flu-related symptoms appear, taking antiviral drugs within the "golden 48 hours" can help you save yourself.

In addition, there are two non-steroidal antipyretics, acetaminophen and ibuprofen , and you can have one at home. If the fever is more obvious (over 38.5°C) or causes physical discomfort, you can use antipyretics.

What is the difference between the common cold and the flu?

Influenza A will have obvious systemic symptoms

The recent influenza A infection rate has increased significantly compared to previous months. The biggest difference between influenza A and the common cold is that there are systemic symptoms .

Influenza A, or "H1N1", is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza A virus. Influenza viruses are divided into four types: A, B, C, and D. Among them, influenza A is the most contagious and most likely to mutate. Almost every influenza pandemic is caused by influenza A virus .

The main symptoms of influenza A infection are sudden high fever, often with respiratory symptoms such as cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, accompanied by headache, muscle aches and other general discomfort, and some patients will experience gastrointestinal discomfort.

Common cold: caused by a variety of pathogens such as rhinovirus, it is weakly contagious and has no obvious seasonal characteristics. Symptoms include nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, etc., usually without fever or only low fever, and no systemic symptoms. It can heal itself in 5 to 7 days and complications rarely occur.

Influenza A: It is highly contagious, prone to widespread spread, and has obvious seasonal characteristics. Patients experience high fever, headache, fatigue, and body muscle aches. Influenza A is self-limiting to a certain extent, but it is easy to cause other complications, including pneumonia, otitis media, myocarditis, meningitis and other serious complications.

Flu season

These 4 cleaning steps are very important

Insufficient ventilation, incomplete cleaning of high-touch items, failure to clean cleaning tools in a timely manner, and lack of personal protection are all common omissions. These seemingly insignificant links are actually important guarantees for blocking the spread of the virus and maintaining family health.

Open windows for ventilation

Open windows for ventilation 2-3 times a day, each time for at least 30 minutes. Simply relying on cleaning and disinfection without ventilation may cause viruses to remain in the air.

Clean frequently touched items promptly

You can use 75% concentration of medical alcohol to wipe high-frequency contact items such as mobile phones and keys to avoid the spread of the virus. The floor can be mopped with 500mg/L chlorine-containing disinfectant and then washed with clean water after 30 minutes. If multiple people in the family are infected, the concentration needs to be increased to 1000mg/L.

The correct preparation method of 500mg/L chlorine-containing disinfectant: 500ml water + 1 effervescent tablet (250mg/tablet) or 990ml water + 10ml 84 disinfectant with an effective chlorine content of 5% .

It should be noted that chlorine-containing disinfectants must be prepared before use and are valid for 24 hours in a sealed container. Effervescent tablets and 84 disinfectant have different specifications. Please be sure to mix according to the instructions before use to ensure the disinfection effect.

Clean cleaning tools promptly

After cleaning, rags, mops and other cleaning tools should be cleaned and disinfected in time to avoid becoming new sources of contamination.

Personal protection is essential

When cleaning, wear gloves and a mask to avoid direct contact of chemicals or pathogens with the skin and respiratory tract, which increases the risk of infection or irritation, and take protective measures to ensure safety.

Attention! These household disinfection misunderstandings

Many people have been tricked

Spray alcohol to disinfect the air over a large area

Alcohol is highly flammable. Spraying it in large quantities in a confined space will increase the concentration of ethanol in the air. Do not use alcohol with a concentration of 75% or above for large-scale spraying to disinfect the air, especially in a confined space. When the concentration of ethanol in the air is >3.3%, it may cause a fire or even an explosion when exposed to open flames or static electricity.

In addition, inhaling too much alcohol vapor may irritate the human respiratory system, causing dizziness, nausea and other discomfort symptoms. It is not recommended to use alcohol spray to disinfect the air. Keeping the room ventilated and using professional air disinfection equipment are safer and more effective options.

Use chlorine-containing disinfectants

Disinfecting metal or leather products

Chlorine-containing disinfectants are highly oxidizing and can corrode metal and leather products. When metal surfaces come into contact with chlorine, a chemical reaction occurs, generating chlorides or oxides that accelerate rusting. Chlorine can destroy the collagen structure of leather products, making them brittle and hard, and can also react with dyes, causing them to fade or leave spots. Non-corrosive disinfectants can be used on metal surfaces, while leather products should be cleaned with special cleaners or alcohol wipes.

Direct use of disinfectants on human bodies

High-concentration disinfectants such as hypochlorous acid or alcohol usually contain strong oxidizing or corrosive chemical components. When inhaled, they will irritate the respiratory mucosa, damage epithelial cells, cause coughing, sore throat, and even cause mucosal inflammation or damage. When in contact with the skin, it will destroy the skin's protective barrier, causing dryness, redness, swelling, itching, and even burns or allergic reactions. Personal protection is required when using disinfectants, such as wearing masks and gloves, and avoiding direct contact or inhalation of high concentrations.

Mixing different types of disinfectants

Mixing different types of disinfectants may produce dangerous chemical reactions or reduce the disinfection effect. Mixing 84 disinfectant (containing chlorine) with acidic detergents will release toxic chlorine gas, which may cause poisoning in severe cases; mixing quaternary ammonium disinfectants with soap may cause acid-base neutralization and lose the activity of the disinfectant. When using disinfectants, you need to understand their ingredients and avoid mixing them at will to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Add common disinfectants to detergents

During the washing process, a large amount of water will dilute the disinfectant, making it too low in concentration to effectively kill pathogens. Chlorine-containing disinfectants may corrode the metal parts and liner of the washing machine, shortening the service life of the equipment. Mixing detergents and disinfectants may produce chemical reactions, releasing irritating gases or harmful substances that endanger human health. It is recommended to wash clothes separately and use high temperature or separate disinfection programs instead when necessary.

If you are infected with influenza A

Please seize the "Golden 48 Hours"

Take medication as directed by your doctor

Do a good job of home disinfection!