How can I prevent acute respiratory tract infections?
The most important strategy in the fight against respiratory tract infections is prevention, which is based on four measures that you can carry out and promote in your day-to-day life:
- Basic hygiene measures
- Protection in contexts of risk of exposure to respiratory viruses
- Recommendations in case of symptoms suggestive of infection
- vaccination
What are the basic hygiene measures?
Since viruses can be transmitted through respiratory droplets and aerosols, as well as through contact with contaminated surfaces, to protect yourself and others from acute respiratory tract infections, you should:
- Adopt respiratory etiquette:
- covering your nose and mouth with tissues when coughing and sneezing
- Putting used tissues in the trash
- If you don't have a tissue, sneeze into the crook of your arm/elbow and not into your hand
- Consider wearing a mask in crowded places, with crowds of people and especially in closed spaces
- Frequent hand washing and/or disinfecting: reduces the possibility of carrying viral particles from surfaces where hands touch to the airways
- Clean and disinfect equipment and surfaces: At home or in the workplace, frequently clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched, such as doorknobs, switches, work surfaces, and electronic devices such as appliance controls
- Ventilate and ventilate spaces: through ventilation, it allows fresh air to enter a room and reduce the amount of virus in the air, reducing the risk of transmitting respiratory tract infections. Alternatively, use mechanical air ventilation (HVAC system – Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning), ensuring the cleaning and maintenance of these systems
In what situations is there a higher risk of exposure to respiratory viruses?
Despite compliance with basic hygiene measures and cleaning and disinfection of spaces, the risk of exposure to viruses can often remain high, particularly in the case of:
- close contact, with a distance of less than 1.5 meters, with a person with a respiratory infection
- staying in spaces with crowds of people, especially without adequate ventilation and in periods of high number of cases (incidence) of COVID-19, flu or other respiratory viruses in circulation
What measures reduce this risk?
In a context of high risk of exposure to the virus you should:
- maintain distancing, particularly if you are in the presence of more vulnerable people, such as residents in nursing homes (Residential Structures for the Elderly), in health and long-term care facilities, in support or reception institutions and prisons
- wear a surgical mask, especially when you are unable to comply with social distancing or when you have respiratory symptoms (especially in the first 5 days)
- Minimize trips to the essentials, avoiding frequenting closed spaces and crowded spaces
What are the symptoms that indicate that I may have a respiratory infection?
The signs and symptoms of respiratory infections are varied, depending on whether the virus affects the upper or lower respiratory tract. Like this:
Upper respiratory tract infections are manifested by:
Lower respiratory tract infections present with:
Some variants of COVID-19 were also characterized by:
- sudden onset loss of smell
- sudden onset of taste loss
- diarrhoea
Some viral infections, such as flu, are often accompanied by:
- muscle and joint pain
- refusal to eat or lack of appetite
What should I do if I have these symptoms?
If you have symptoms of respiratory infection associated with COVID-19 or flu, namely:
- cough again, or with worsening of the usual pattern or
- fever (temperature ≥ 38.0ºC) with no other attributable cause, or
- difficulty breathing (dyspnoea)
It is recommended:
- Get plenty of rest and drink water to stay hydrated
- You can use medications, such as paracetamol (if you have no clinical indication to the contrary), to help reduce symptoms
- Adopt respiratory etiquette
- Wash your hands frequently
- Maintain distancing and wear a mask
In addition, you can:
-
- contact SNS 24 – 808242424, or alternatively your attending doctor, to receive the appropriate recommendations for each of these situations.
Are the symptoms in children similar to adults?
For most children and young people, acute respiratory tract infections are common, but they are not serious and recover quickly with rest and plenty of fluids, especially water. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, they should stay at home or go to school. Like this:
- They can continue to attend the school if:
- have mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or mild cough
- living with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19
- They should stay at home when:
- are sick and have a fever and avoid contact with others if possible. They can resume their usual activities when they are discharged, or they no longer have a fever and when they feel well enough
If there is a worsening of complaints, parents should contact SNS 24 – 808242424 or the treating physician for referral accordingly, especially if the child is under 2 years old.
What is the importance of vaccination in the prevention of respiratory infections?
Vaccines are the best defence we have against respiratory infections. The vaccines against COVID-19 and flu vaccines can be administered together and have high protection in reducing severe illness, hospitalization or death, also contributing to the reduction of infection and transmission of the virus.
I am a close contact of a person with an infection. What precautions should I take at home?
To prevent the spread of infection indoors, you should:
- Keep your distance and time with the infected person
- Wear a surgical mask in shared areas, especially if you live with people with immunosuppression
- Ventilate and ventilate the rooms: open the windows and leave them open for at least 10 minutes
- Wash your hands frequently and cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing
- Clean frequently touched surfaces and shared rooms and equipment, such as kitchens and bathrooms, doorknobs and remote controls
Source: Directorate-General for Health