Who is in Germany in buses and cars on the road, at a business lunch hands shaking or his child in the daycare pick-up, you should then do one thing: wash hands thoroughly. Currently, the flu risk is particularly high.

In the past week alone, the Robert Koch Institute reported nearly 24,000 confirmed infections. Since the autumn, the number has thus risen to about 85,000. Add to this a high number of unreported cases, because not every physician samples and in the laboratory of influenza a virus check.

72 people have died, according to the data in the last week, after they had been infected with Influenza. The total number of is in order this Winter so far, with 199 deaths.

Nevertheless, the current week contains the report of the working group Influenza at the RKI is also a positive message. Compared to the previous week, the activity was slightly decreased. Possibly the highlight of the influenza wave has been reached already, or even exceeded.

Currently, the evidence suggests that the flu wave of default might be this Winter much easier than last year. At the time of the flu patients had surgeries in the middle of March the doctor and the hospitals are crippled, the height of the flu wave was only towards the end of March to overcome.

The most practices in Saxony, the space in Thuringia

In the distribution of flu cases in Germany, there was last week, enormous regional differences. Most full were the doctor’s offices in Saxony. There, the practice index was 242. The value describes how many of the people with acute respiratory diseases in comparison to the normal condition to the doctor. It is calculated on the basis of the reports of more than 500 physician practices.

From a value of 180 of the practice, the index is considered to be greatly increased, the Germany, the average was 181.

Also, the practice index was increased in the last week in Bavaria (196), Rhineland-Palatinate, the Saarland (192), as well as Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (189). Comparatively empty doctor’s offices were recorded by the researchers in Thuringia (146), and lower Saxony with Bremen (156), and Saxony-Anhalt (158).

How can you protect yourself against the flu?

The most important tip is the simplest: wash hands frequently. Water and normal soap enough, it does not need special antibacterial soap or disinfectant. Thus, all the pathogens are washed off, the palms of the hands and fingers are in-between spaces for at least 20 seconds soaped.

Also it is advisable to the hands from the face. You touch in the subway, a holding rod, the virus stuck, it paves the subsequent handle to the nose or mouth pathogens, and the disease is the way in the body. If possible, it also helps during the Flu epidemic to keep other people and shaking little hands.

Apart from the precautions, vaccination against Influenza, which is adjusted each year to the currently circulating pathogens exists. The immune system requires, however, an average of ten to 14 days until it has built up the complete Vaccination. In addition, the vaccine offers no one hundred percent protection, because the Influenza-change viruses constantly. The disease develops in vaccinated persons, however, as a rule, lighter than in the East, the lower the risk for complications.