With omicron and flu, doctors suggest a year-end party with few relatives

Close to the end-of-the-year celebrations, the emergence of the omicron variants of Covid-19 and Darwin, of the H3N2 influenza, worries doctors. According to experts, if the population does not prevent itself, the beginning of 2022 could be marked by a scenario of worsening health crisis, with the worsening of the coronavirus pandemic added to the flu epidemic.

Gerson Salvador, an infectious disease specialist at the University Hospital of USP, says it is possible to meet at the end of the year, but with caution. He suggests, for example, that events take place outdoors, such as backyards, and that people keep their distance from each other. The use of a mask must be maintained during the event and removed only at mealtime.

Hand hygiene must also be constant. “Alcohol is relatively effective for Covid-19, but it is very effective for the influenza virus,” says the doctor.

He recommends that people not underestimate influenza, which causes the death of 300 to 600,000 people a year and can be serious in the most vulnerable population, such as children under two years of age, postpartum women, people with respiratory problems and the elderly.

Infectologist and professor at Unicamp (State University of Campinas), Raquel Stucchi believes that Christmas 2021 will be carried out with great care. In the presence of elderly and immunosuppressed people, it is recommended to use masks with better filtration, such as N95, and that everyone has a complete and up-to-date vaccination. And, whoever wants to hug, must do it without kissing and still wearing a mask.

Stucchi says that, in the case of elderly people over 80 years of age, it is necessary to be aware of signs of behavior change, such as agitation and discouragement, shortness of breath and tiredness. According to her, these could be signs of influenza that would indicate the need for a face-to-face consultation with a doctor.

“Covid-19’s numbers are really the best since the beginning of the pandemic, but we have
the certainty that omicron will be the variant that will dominate infections, but we still don’t know its capacity to cause more serious diseases”, says the doctor.

Jamal Suleiman, an infectious disease specialist at the Emilio Ribas hospital, warns that meetings should be restricted to small groups of people and that the use of masks should be constant. “If we don’t do this, there will be a lot of sick people and this will compromise the health system”, warns the doctor.

He reminds that anyone with flu symptoms should not attend New Year’s Eve parties. “Anyone with symptoms should be alone and do as we’ve done throughout the Covid pandemic: call by video and chat.”

Another warning made by the doctor was about the private New Year’s parties. “These events need to be reviewed. The parties cannot, at this moment, be a risk of spreading this virus.”

The current flu vaccine does not protect against the H3N2 variant and the forecast is that the immunizing agent that includes this new strain will only arrive in March 2022. In addition, vaccination coverage among priority groups this year in the state of São Paulo was low, of only 55.5%.

Suleiman says this is a concern and warns that the flu vaccine remains important to prevent illness and the emergence of new variants. He further analyzes that the spread of influenza is as fast as the omicron variant. “If you crowd, the risk is there. What are you going to choose? Sars-Cov-2 or influenza? I prefer none,” he says.