Why are people more likely to get flu in winter?

Why does the flu and winter go hand in hand? It would seem that the time of the year does not matter for the infection. The usual explanation for the causes of this phenomenon is narrowness.

That is, in winter people crowd inside buildings, giving the flu virus( as well as other colds) an ideal opportunity for cross infection. But medical scientists and ordinary people have questioned this theory for years.

"There are lessons in schools in the spring, and in summer people go to the movies together," says Peter Palese, chairman of the New York Medical School's microbiology department."Only pandemonium does not explain this trend."

Alternative theories appear one after another. Some focus on how the human body reacts to the sun's deficit. The body produces less hormone melatonin and vitamin D, both of these elements can affect immunity.

I agree with another theory, to all the blame dry dry air. Recent studies by Palese and his colleagues provided her with solid reasons. Scientists tried to infect guinea pigs with various strains of influenza and found that the pigs actively infested each other in dry, cool air. The same pigs, but at 30 degrees, did not carry the disease at all.

However, do not rush to turn your house into a bathhouse and call all friends. It may be hot and harmful to the flu virus, but it creates excellent conditions for fungus, mold and bacteria."One must be cautious about any recommendations concerning health," say scientists.

Health experts say that although the compact living of people is not the main reason for the beginning of seasonal epidemics, it still plays a big role in their spread. Other diseases, such as ARVI, are also very popular with the crowd.

"In fact, even before the discovery of viruses and bacteria, people knew that diseases from the common cold to the plague spread from person to person, and tried to avoid contact with patients," medicine historians say."It's nothing more than common sense, the more people in close contact, the higher the risk of getting sick."

Briefly: stop contacting people and you'll avoid disease.

But does the student risk a class of 30 children more than a child in the classroom by 20?Is there an ideal distance that should be adhered to in crowded places? Is it possible to slow the flu epidemic by closing schools, jobs, banning public gatherings?

The answers to these questions are still within the hypotheses. These answers are extremely important for scientists planning the actions of mankind, in the event of a possible pandemic of influenza or other dangerous infections.

One thing is for sure: certain types of infectious diseases are especially well adapted to the conditions of close living of people. For example, such as adenoviruses that cause acute respiratory infections among conscripts.

If you want to avoid the disease, it is wise not to lock yourself into a room without windows, but to make a routine inoculation. Although it does not save you from a common cold, it will increase your chance not to get sick with the flu. Do not forget the classic advice of doctors - wash your hands often!