Medical service

Prevention of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI)

Prevention of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) is a complex of measures aimed at preventing human infection with viruses causing the disease. Preventive methods of protection are divided into specific and non-specific.

Specific prevention of influenza and ARVI involves annual vaccination of the population. Due to the tendency of viruses to mutate, the vaccine is adjusted annually. According to data provided by the WHO, mass vaccination has helped reduce the intensity of influenza epidemics worldwide. Modern vaccines can protect about 80% of both adults and children from influenza.

Specific prevention of influenza and ARVI

Vaccination will be considered effective in combating influenza only if 50% or more of the country’s population receives it. Currently, more than 20 different vaccines of 4 generations are registered.

Each vaccine is made from the virus strains that will be relevant in the upcoming year during epidemics.

There is a particular need for vaccination among the following social groups:

• Elderly people;
• Preschool and school-age children;
• Workers in educational, medical, commercial, and other fields;
• Pregnant women;
• Individuals with weakened immune systems and chronic illnesses.

Non-specific prevention of influenza and ARVI

Non-specific prevention of influenza and ARVI boils down to increasing the body’s resistance to viruses and preventing their entry into the body.

There are the following practical recommendations to follow to protect yourself from infection:

• Maintaining optimal air temperature and humidity levels in crowded spaces.
• Regular ventilation of premises.
• Outdoor walks.
• Proper nutrition. Food should provide the necessary intake of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and vitamins.
• Adequate hydration allows replenishing the body’s fluid reserves and moisturizing the mucous membranes. It has been proven that viruses find it much easier to penetrate the cells of the upper respiratory tract epithelium when they are dry and have microcracks.
• Physical activity, including daily sports activities.
• Adequate rest. Primarily, this means healthy sleep. To maintain immune function, one should sleep for at least 8 hours a day.
• Maintaining cleanliness indoors, daily wet cleaning with minimal use of household chemicals.
• Implementing a mask regime during influenza and cold epidemics. Masks should not be touched by hands after being fixed on the face. Reuse is unacceptable.
• Avoiding crowded places.
• Thorough handwashing after visiting public places. Until then, avoid touching your face, lips, or nose.
• In terms of hygiene, attention should be paid not only to hands but also to nasal passages. Nasal hygiene should be performed after each visit to a public place. Special solutions and sprays based on seawater, as well as regular saline solution, are suitable for this purpose. In addition to this procedure, gargling with a solution of soda and salt is recommended.
• During conversations, it is advisable to maintain a distance of at least one meter from the interlocutor.
• In medical institutions, classrooms, daycare groups, and universities, the use of ultraviolet lamps is advisable.

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Prevention of myopia

According to the World Health Organization, currently, around 1 billion people worldwide wear glasses or contact lenses, meaning they have some form of vision problems. And year by year, the number of people suffering from myopia is increasing. The reasons for this lie in the peculiarities of modern lifestyle and not always proper attitude towards the health of one’s own eyes.

Meanwhile, the progression of myopia can be slowed down by following some simple rules – taking care of one’s overall health, spending more time outdoors, getting enough sleep… And, of course, taking care of vision

Vision hygiene

Visual hygiene means a set of precautions to prevent the creation of conditions conducive to the development of myopia and other eye diseases. Such measures may include:

• Maintaining the correct visual mode

With prolonged and intense visual work at a close, fixed distance, the frequency of blinking decreases several times. The surface of the cornea “dries out,” and the tear film is renewed much less frequently. The resulting burning sensation, pain in the eyes, dryness, and discomfort are the first signs of “dry eye syndrome.” At the same time, prolonged tension of the visual apparatus, called “spasm of accommodation,” leads to a slowdown or even stagnation of the necessary metabolic processes in the structure of the eye and, as a consequence, the development of myopia.

• Ensuring uniform and sufficient lighting

One of the necessary conditions for normal visual work is good and, most importantly, correctly selected lighting. It is very important to remember that the light on your desktop should be set in such a way that it is comfortable for your eyes. It should not be too bright so as not to blind you, but also not too dark so that your eyes do not experience excessive strain during operation.

• Maintaining the correct reading regimen

When driving in transport due to uneven roads, as well as when reading while lying down, under the influence of breathing, heartbeat, and hand trembling, the book, magazine and eyes of the reader are in constant motion relative to each other. As a result, the eye, with the help of the accommodation apparatus, has to constantly adjust so that the object of observation is always in the focus of maximum discrimination, which leads to rapid fatigue of the visual system, and, over time, a spasm of accommodation. The distance to a book, magazine, newspaper should be at least 30–40 cm. Taking into account the lifestyle of a modern person, all of the above equally applies to maintaining the correct mode of reading from the screens of various mobile devices – smartphones, tablets, etc.

• Regularly performing visual gymnastics exercises

• Look at the tip of your nose, count 1-4, and then look at the count 1-6. Repeat 4-5 times.
• Look at your index finger, 25–30 cm away from your eyes, and on a count of 1–4, bring it closer to the tip of your nose, then move your gaze into the distance on a count of 1–6. Repeat the exercise 4-5 times.
• Close your eyes tightly for a few seconds, open them and look into the distance. Repeat 4-5 times.
• Keep your head straight. Blink, close your eyes and sit quietly for about 5 seconds. Repeat the exercise 4-5 times.
• Look out the window at a very distant object and stare at it for 10 seconds. Turn your gaze to your palm. Repeat the exercise 6-10 times.

Nourishment for eyes

For the healthy functioning of the visual system, it is necessary for the eyes to receive adequate and complete nutrition. Scientists advise consuming more antioxidants zeaxanthin and lutein in food, as well as including docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids in the diet – and there’s no need to be intimidated by these complex names, all these substances are found in the most ordinary foods.

Try to snack on apples, strawberries, broccoli, eggs, and other products that are sources of the already mentioned zeaxanthin and lutein. Salmon, mackerel, trout, etc., rich in docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids (otherwise known as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) can be an excellent support in the prevention not only of myopia but also of other eye diseases. Treat your eyes to foods high in vitamins A, C, E, beta-carotene, and B-group vitamins.

Drink juices from fresh vegetables – beets, celery, carrots, as well as green and herbal teas with chamomile, thyme, and oregano, not forgetting to sweeten them with a spoonful of linden honey, which scientists have recognized as literally a treasure trove of microelements beneficial for vision.

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Scoliosis in schoolchildren

Scoliosis and posture disorders in schoolchildren are a significant problem. Children spend more time sitting at desks and tables: this includes school lessons, homework, and computer games. Prolonged sitting in a passive position leads to improper development of muscles and bones of the spine, resulting in spinal curvature and posture abnormalities. It is possible to issue leaflets for parents to draw their attention to the prevention of scoliosis in children.

Prevention of scoliosis and recommendations for parents:

• Provide your child with furniture that suits their height. Ensure that the workspace of the student’s desk is spacious. Properly organize their workspace, meaning the student’s workstation should be equipped as safely as possible for their health (lighting should not cast shadows while writing, comfortable seating and desk that maintain a natural body position); Elbows should be able to comfortably rest on the surface along with books and notebooks. Pay attention to your child’s vision; if they hunch over while reading or writing, they may need glasses. Make sure that when preparing for lessons or reading, the child does not slouch. It is necessary to monitor the formation of the correct posture, namely: the shoulders should be squared, the head slightly raised, the shoulder blades should not protrude, and the stomach should be slightly drawn in and not protrude beyond the chest line.
• For children of primary school age, a backpack is necessary;
• Proper nutrition: include foods containing sufficient amounts of fat-soluble vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, vitamins D and C.
• It is necessary to enroll the child in swimming lessons as early as possible, as swimming is the most effective form of exercise in preventing scoliosis;
• Always control physical activity and motor mode. Lead by example and encourage your child to do morning exercises daily;
• Purchase an orthopedic mattress for your child’s bed;
• Do not allow your child to work on a laptop while sitting or lying on the couch: this is one of the contraindications for scoliosis because such a posture is very harmful to the neck.
• A great piece of sports equipment for doing exercises for scoliosis for a child is a children’s sports complex (wall bars).
• Simply hanging on the wall bars is very useful. The back muscles straighten and stretch. This exercise strengthens not only the back muscles but also the arms and chest. The child should learn to do pull-ups. After mastering 1-2 pull-ups, gradually increase the load. You can simply hang on two or one hand, and when hanging on two hands, you can raise your legs. This exercise can be supplemented with leg exercises: hanging on a horizontal bar.

It has been proven that children who regularly engage in sports almost never suffer from spine diseases, flat feet, hypodynamia, and posture problems in girls can lead to improper development of reproductive organs. This can later become a problem during pregnancy and childbirth. It is better to prevent the disease than to treat it. Therefore, do not forget about the important aspect of everyone’s life – sports.

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BCG vaccine and Mantoux test

One of the first vaccines administered to a newborn is the BCG vaccine. Preventive measures against tuberculosis begin even before the birth of the child. Those around the future baby (father, grandparents, uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters over 15 years old) must undergo a fluorographic examination. The mother of the child must undergo a fluorographic examination after the birth of the baby.

An important measure for the prevention of tuberculosis is vaccination against tuberculosis with the BCG vaccine, which is carried out on the 3-7th day of a child’s life. The tuberculosis vaccine is designed to prevent severe, life-threatening tuberculosis. The BCG vaccine does not protect a person from infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. If children vaccinated against tuberculosis get sick, they suffer from minor forms of tuberculosis, which are mild and, as a rule, without clinical manifestations. This is especially important in young children. In this category of children, BCG vaccination eliminates the possibility of developing meningitis and disseminated forms of tuberculosis, which are almost always fatal.

Mantoux and Diaskintest tests are not vaccinations, but intradermal diagnostic tests that do not affect the child’s immune system. They do not contain live pathogens, so you cannot get tuberculosis after they are performed. This is just an indicator that shows how well the immune system, today and now, copes with infection.

The younger the child, the more likely it is that illness will occur if infected. Therefore, BCG is given on the 3-7th day of life.

As for the differences, the Mantoux reaction shows the presence of antibodies produced both after vaccination with BCG and after encountering the tuberculosis bacillus in the natural environment, and reflects the presence and intensity of specific anti-tuberculosis immunity. Diaskintest contains two specific proteins (ESAT6/CFP10), characteristic only of tuberculosis pathogens and absent in the BCG vaccine strain, which makes it possible to distinguish a post-vaccination reaction from a true infection.

Repeated vaccination (re-vaccination) is carried out for children aged 6 to 7 years with a negative Mantoux test to maintain acquired immunity.

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