Flu shock in Munich: Doctors warn of long-term effects such as heart attacks, strokes and Parkinson's
Created: 11/28/2022, 2:01 p.m
By: Andreas Beez
Headaches and body aches, coughs and runny noses: Seniors suffer particularly from the consequences of the real virus flu, influenza.
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The flu experts Dr.
Andreas Leischker and Prof. Hortense Slevogt.
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After a kind of forced corona break, the influenza virus is currently coming back with a vengeance.
It often hits seniors particularly hard.
Doctors warn of heart attacks, strokes and pneumonia.
As a late consequence, there is a risk of Parkinson's.
Therefore, people over 60 should be vaccinated quickly.
Reported new infections doubled
In the shadow of Corona, influenza is making a comeback.
The virus flu was practically absent for two years, and there were no major outbreaks due to the obligation to wear masks and contact restrictions.
But since the beginning of October, the number of new infections reported weekly has more than doubled.
For comparison: Before the corona pandemic, the annual flu wave usually only started in January and lasted three to four months.
Expert: Spread faster and more violently than in previous years
But this year the conditions have changed.
"People have had no contact with influenza viruses for a long time, there is no longer herd immunity," analyzes Prof. Hortense Slevogt from the German Society for Pneumology and Respiratory Medicine.
That's why the spread this year is earlier, faster and more violent than in previous years.
“We therefore strongly recommend that all over 60-year-olds get vaccinated as soon as possible.
This not only protects against the rampant influenza, but also prevents bacterial pneumonia, from which older people in particular can usually only recover very slowly," says Slevogt.
Vaccination reduces the risk of long-term effects
In addition, the vaccination reduces the risk of dramatic late effects of flu: "In unvaccinated people, we observe more heart attacks or strokes, especially in the first month after the influenza infection.
Parkinson's disease can occur as a late consequence after more than ten years," warns Dr.
Andreas Leischker, vaccination expert from the German Society for Geriatrics.
COPD patients also benefit from the prick against influenza
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could also benefit from the prick against influenza.
"They develop dementia much less frequently if they get vaccinated against influenza every year," say physicians Slevogt and Leischker.
RSV viruses are also becoming more widespread - children's wards in Munich are jam-packed
It is no coincidence that the medical societies and the Standing Vaccination Commission are increasingly promoting the flu vaccination.
In Germany, only 47 percent of all people are currently having injections.
The risk of infection is greatly increased.
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the number of doctor visits for respiratory diseases continues to increase.
In 71 percent of the samples most recently examined by the RKI, so-called respiratory viruses were identified: mostly influenza viruses, but also so-called respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV), which can put babies and small children in great danger (see article below right).
There are also numerous boys and girls with RSV infections in Bavarian clinics.
Some stations are bursting at the seams.
