THL: This Christmas, Finland will face a “triple epidemic” of respiratory infections | News
Hospital districts across the country have reported increases in coronavirus, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases in recent weeks.
As the Christmas holidays approach, more and more people across Finland have suffered from one of three respiratory infections: coronavirus, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
“And then there are several respiratory viruses that we don’t even have names for.” Tuula Hannila-HandelbergTHL’s chief physician told Yle in an interview with Radio Suomen on Thursday.
In the United States, the threat posed by these three infections has been called the “triodemic epidemic,” according to CNN. reportage (you switch to another service) that RSV cases have increased while Covid cases are on the rise again.
Hannila-Handelberg told Radio Suomi that the term could also be used to describe Finland’s current situation.
“Yes, at this point it looks like a triple epidemic, or at least it’s coming,” he said.
The first season after the Covid flu
The restrictions put in place over the past two winters to prevent the spread of the coronavirus also had a significant impact on the number of flu cases, but the current flu season is the first since 2019 without Covid-related restrictions.
This has led to an increase in cases compared to last year and 2020, but no noticeable difference to the numbers of the flu season before the pandemic. Otto Helve from THL.
“Like a normal winter before a pandemic, we have a very large number of different pathogens in the population at the same time,” Helve said.
However, the number of influenza and RSV cases has been higher than expected in many countries, and the flu season started earlier than usual.
According to THL’s Hannila-Handelberg, the high rise in flu cases may indicate that Covid-era habits, such as avoiding social contacts, have lowered people’s resistance to influenza and other viruses.
Mild infections can be treated at home
Speaking to Yle on Thursday, Otto Helve, who was appointed as the new director of THL’s health security department, gave the following advice if people want to limit the possibility of getting a respiratory infection this winter:
- Get the recommended vaccinations.
- Stay home if sick.
- Remember to wash your hands.
- Follow good hand and coughing hygiene.
- Use the mask at your own discretion.
- Avoid tightly packed, poorly ventilated indoor spaces.
“It is best to avoid contact, especially in the early stages of infection, because then the virus is particularly contagious,” Hannila-Handberg added.
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