Wear masks to safeguard self from seasonal flu: Doctors

NAGPUR: A seasonal flu seems to be doing the rounds in the city as schools report young ones calling in sick for anywhere between three and five days. Paediatricians say this is indeed the seasonal flu which is affecting not only the kids, but also adults, and hence suggest that it’s time to mask up.
Paediatrician and adolescent counsellor Dr Rajiv Mohta said, “We have been seeing more and more kids being brought to outpatient departments because of high fever. As a typical flu, it lasts for three or more days and kids also get cold or cough.”
Dr Mohta added that the surge in flu virus is because of change in season and also because students are now getting exposed to hundreds of their peers in school, after a long gap. “It will be a good idea to start wearing masks for the next three weeks or so to prevent the virus from spreading,” he said.
Dr Vageesh Katariya, whose family also manages a school, said parents need not worry too much about this. “This is just seasonal flu and the way to fight it is two-fold. One is taking the vaccine, which is available with doctors. Before sleeping take a small portion of turmeric milk, add lemon to your food for Vitamin C. Even makhanas (fox nuts) and black pepper roasted in ghee are a very good immunity booster,” he said.
Dr Katariya added that hygiene rituals play a vital role in preventing spread of infection. “Wash your hands regularly and avoid using handkerchief for cleaning your nose. It is best to use tissue paper and discard it after wiping your nose. This will help prevent infections,” he said.
But it’s not just kids who are getting impacted by the flu. Vidarbha Taxpayers Association secretary Tejinder Singh Renu, a relatively fit man in his 50s, recently recovered from a three-day flu bout. “The symptoms are fever and a bit of cough. As a preventive measure, I also got my Covid test done and it was negative,” he said.
Renu had cough but it did not enter his lungs, like it would do for Covid cases. “Even fever hovered around the 100 degrees Fahrenheit mark, something which can easily be tackled. It’s just that weakness is very evident. It took me a few days to get back to full strength,” he added.