Fever, sore throat, and joint pain that won't go away for days… Hospitals are overflowing: Is the new flu actually Covid?

Aslı AĞIRDİL - 12punto.com.tr

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has become a global health issue, is back on the agenda alongside the recent rise in flu-like infections. Across the country, the number of people visiting hospitals with fever, sore throat, and joint pain has increased. Almost one in every three people around us is sick. Those who take a long time to recover are asking, "Did I catch the coronavirus?" Meanwhile, claims that vaccines are causing the rise in heart attack cases are also being discussed. Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board member Prof. Dr. Alper Şener evaluated these debates for 12punto. 

CORONA IS NOW CONSIDERED SEASONAL

Infectious Diseases Specialist Prof. Dr. Şener emphasized that it is impossible to distinguish between flu and corona cases because PCR tests are not being performed. Şener stated the following:

"We cannot currently distinguish between the flu and corona because we do not have the opportunity to actively perform PCR tests. Corona is now considered seasonal. The world has also moved away from this strategy and shifted to antigen tests."

THERE IS AN INCREASE IN FLU-LIKE INFECTIONS 

Stating that it is terminologically incorrect to call it an epidemic, Şener continued:

"There is a seasonal increase in flu-like infections, but it is not possible to distinguish them with the tests currently available in the field. There are PCR tests that detect respiratory pathogens simultaneously, but since they are not performed routinely, differentiation is difficult; it is more accurate to call these syndromic illnesses for now. Classifying every increase in the number of patients as an epidemic would be a scientifically incomplete interpretation."

VARIANT VACCINES ARE NOT SUFFICIENT PROTECTION FOR WINTER

Şener also issued a warning regarding vaccines compatible with new Covid variants:

 "Vaccines using the original 'Wuhan' strain are not sufficiently protective for this winter; many countries, especially the US, have already administered or are currently administering variant vaccines. The WHO also recommends variant vaccines, especially for those over 65, because vaccines using the Wuhan strain are no longer effective against new variants."

NOW THE 'VACCINE DETOX' FALLACY

Stating that claims that vaccines cause heart attacks have existed from the very beginning and continue to persist, Şener noted the following:

"In the case of mRNA vaccines for Corona, specifically the Moderna vaccine which contains three times the antigen and is administered in the US, a link was established between the vaccine and reversible pericarditis-myocarditis in young males. These findings are being distorted and projected as heart attacks. More interestingly, retrospective analyses have shown that Corona infection itself causes heart attacks in all age groups."

Stating that our citizens should not be misled by unscientific suggestions and practices, 

Şener continued as follows:

"Unfortunately, this topic is constantly kept on the agenda by anti-vaxxers and used for other purposes. Now, 'vaccine detox' has emerged. Apparently, the claim is that mRNA vaccine antibodies must be cleared from the blood, and that this can be done through certain foods and traditional complementary medicine practices. These are all hoaxes. Unfortunately, some of our colleagues are also voicing these claims for financial gain. You can only separate vaccine antibodies through plasmapheresis! And there is no need for that! Our citizens should not be misled by such unscientific suggestions and practices."