THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
Flu has already claimed 102 lives in Germany since December 2017 – This is what you should know and how you can protect yourself.
The flu wave continues to spread nationwide. The Robert Koch Institute warned in January about the influenza virus spreading from Australia to Europe. Since then, more and more cases of the illness have been detected. It is probably the most serious influenza wave in years.
It’s already too late for a vaccine. “Before it works, 14 days must have passed”, says the physician. Anyone who has already been vaccinated in autumn 2017 is now protected. But a type of influenza, the type B influenza, has been found to be resistant to any vaccines.
Approximately 75% of Germans have been suffering from influenza B virus since autumn 2017, making it the most frequently reported influenza viruses. According to the Robert Koch Institute, 102 people have already died from the flu, of which 83% are 60 years or older. In addition, especially susceptible to the virus are babies, toddlers and students.
Even if experts say that a vaccine would not be worthwhile anymore (the best time for a vaccine is between September and November), ask your doctor! In addition, you can do the following not to get sick or at least reduce the likelihood of being infected:
- Thoroughly wash and dry hands regularly
- Do not bring your hands into contact with the mucous membranes (mouth, nose, eyes)
- The pathogens of flu are in the air. Therefore, experts advise you to maintain a distance of up to 70 centimetres from other people. When they sneeze it is even two meters.
- You should avoid shaking hands
- Air your apartment regularly (yes, even when it’s cold!)
- Avoid contact with the sick
- Be sure to stay at home when the first symptoms show!
- Strengthen your immune system with, for example, ginger and lemon
These are the symptoms of the influenza virus
The symptoms of influenza, which is an acute respiratory illness, can be very sudden and not as insidious as a common cold:
- Coughing
- Being flappy / not feeling well / limb ache and headache
- Fever
- Chills
If you do not have a fever, it’s probably a cold and not an influenza infection. Of course that does not mean that you have to drag yourself to work.
Vivian Asamoah
