Healthy nutrition, daily exercise and relaxation strengthen the immune system, knows dr medical Andrea Mossner. Risk groups are recommended by the specialist in general medicine and medical director of the LOVELY Policlinic nevertheless the flu vaccination.
Can you smell the beautiful autumn? The mornings are cool. Dew covers the meadows along the beautiful lagoon coast. Until the sun really picks up speed again. The ideal weather to exercise. Get on your bike, go for a walk, just get moving every day. At least that’s what Dr. medical Andrea Mossner. Enjoy lots of fruit and vegetables and eat a varied diet. Also, drink plenty of water or tea and take care to relax in everyday life. This includes sufficient sleep and breaks, according to the tips of the specialist in general medicine. Because all of this ensures a strong immune system that has to deal with many viruses in autumn and winter. If there is no vaccine for the common cold, you can get vaccinated against the real flu, known as influenza. The medical director of the Ueckermünde Polyclinic recommends the flu vaccination, which also strengthens the immune system, especially for so-called risk groups. This includes those over 60, the chronically ill, anyone who works in medical or social professions, and pregnant women from the second trimester onwards. The flu vaccination will be given between October and November recommended. “But it can also be given into January. Because the disease usually arrives later in our region,” explains Andrea Mossner.
“What’s new since the last vaccination season 2021/22 is that people over 60 years of age are recommended a separate vaccine by STIKO – a high-dose vaccine,” explains Andrea Mossner. “It has an increased effectiveness compared to the non-high-dose vaccines in older people.” The reason: with increasing age, the performance of the immune system decreases. Infections are therefore more likely to be severe or even fatal. “This reduced immune response in older people means that the normal flu vaccination can be less effective than in younger adults,” explains the doctor. Andrea Mossner reports that this high-dose vaccine has been used in the United States for several years to protect seniors against influenza. “The costs for this vaccine are reimbursed by the health insurance companies.” In short: Patients who are over 60 years old are welcome to get advice on this vaccine in the polyclinic. “We had good experiences with the vaccine last season,” says the doctor.
A flu vaccination has to be repeated annually because the virus changes very quickly and adapted vaccines are developed.
If you got caught despite a healthy diet, plenty of exercise and a flu shot, you should think of those around you and not necessarily sneeze into the palm of your hand, but into your sleeve. According to Andrea Mossner, antipyretics, a hot bath, inhalation, eucalyptus products, hot tea and other home remedies also help. “Antibiotics don’t help with the real flu.” You have to get through it patiently, says the doctor.
Especially in this season, the doctor recommends the vaccination of the risk group. Because last season, everyone wore a mask because of the corona pandemic, so the willingness to do so is decreasing significantly. The risk of infection is therefore greater.
The flu vaccination, like the corona vaccination, protects you against a potentially serious course of the disease, which can lead to hospitalization or even death. Both vaccinations do not guarantee that you will not be infected with the flu. Nevertheless, the specialist advises risk groups in particular to take advantage of the flu vaccination offer.
Text: Uta Bilaczewski / Foto: storyblocks
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