What to do to protect yourself from the common cold

Although it is a respiratory tract infection, it has been stated that the current common cold epidemic is not caused by a single virus like Covid-19, but rather by many viruses occurring sometimes together and mostly one after another.

Medical experts made the following statement on the subject:

"During the 2020 Covid pandemic and the 2022 and 2023 seasons, we did not see the influenza we are accustomed to seeing every winter. Because for 3 years, people stayed indoors at home and wore masks when they went out. Consequently, people's immunity against these viruses dropped significantly. This year, the influenza epidemic we are used to seeing every year has re-emerged. Because people have started to come together again and protective measures have decreased. Therefore, the viruses our immune systems had forgotten have spread quickly and easily.

Stating that there is currently a very serious accumulation of cases, especially in Istanbul and surrounding provinces, Prof. Dr. Sönmezoğlu said, “There is a very heavy patient load in hospital emergency rooms, infectious disease, chest disease, and ear, nose, and throat outpatient clinics. Queues have started to form in the emergency department. Hospital admissions have increased significantly. In fact, intensive care units have started to fill up with lung infection complications from these flu and similar illnesses. Therefore, there is a very serious accumulation of cases"

The ways to protect against the common cold are also being researched and wondered about by citizens.

WHAT TO DO TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE COMMON COLD

• First of all, we must focus our attention on mask and hygiene measures. In particular, it is beneficial to wear a mask in public transport vehicles such as buses, subways, and metrobuses, in elevators, and in more crowded places.
• Even though people are tired of using masks, they should definitely be used if one is going to be in a closed area at close range.
• There is not much point in using a mask if you are going to be at a distance of more than one meter in the open air.
• Washing hands is very important.
• Another important issue is that during this winter period, while handshaking might be okay, one should avoid hugging and kissing, especially with risk groups.