23/10/2013 00:00
TW
0
Staff Reporter

PALMA
The Balearic Ministry for Health will present their flu vaccination campaign today, and as in previous years it is aimed at the sectors of the population who are most at risk.

The campaign is expected to start within the next few days, and the number of vaccinations given will be “similar” to that of previous years, which will allow the vaccinations to cover the “at risk” groups, which represent 65 percent of the population.

The health authorities are encouraging the “target population”, such as those over 65 years of age, health workers, and people who work in old people's homes or care for old people, to have a vaccination.

School teachers are also a group which is susceptible to this illness.
Although flu is an illness for which there is no medical treatment, the health authorities insist that there are a few simple measures which can be taken to allieviate the symptoms, such as rest, and drink lots of liquid (water and juices), these being the recommendations of the Balearic Government.

The ministry warns that it is useless for those suffering from flu to take antibiotics as, being a virus, “they are not effective”.
They also remind the population that any antibiotic has to be prescribed by a doctor. At the same time, they emphasised the importance of stepping up hygiene measures as a precaution against transmitting the virus.

Ib-Salut sources said that the PAC (health) centres offer 24 hour assistance and their purpose is to stop people going to hospital for treatment.
Doctors highlight the importance of distinguishing between flu and a simple cold, as there is a natural tendency to confuse them.
The symptoms of a cold are: a moderate cough, running nose, sneezing, occasional headaches, moderate muscular aches and a fever which raises the temperature one degree in adults and a bit more in children, a ministry spokesman said..

On the other hand, with flu the cough is persistent, the runny nose and sneezing are occasional, muscles ache constantly and the aches are generally concentrated in the extremities and the back, and, with the fever, the temperature goes higher and will last for five days.