Bengaluru: The soaring temperature during the flu season is no good news for alcohol consumers, chain smokers and geriatrics, stress experts, listing out prevention and extra measures.

“The flu has serious implications on the secondary ailments like pneumococcal diseases as it brings down the body's immunity towards other infections. Children below five years and adults above 65 years should optimise the prevention strategies. Also, those who consume alcohol regularly, chain smokers, transplant patients and diabetics should be extra cautious," says Dr Ravindra Mehta, the Chief of Critical Care, Consultant Pulmonologist and Interventional Pulmonologist and Sleep Disorders Medicine Specialist, Apollo Hospitals.

Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness and can lead to hospitalisation, and even death. Every year in the United States, millions of people fall sick, hundreds of thousands are hospitalised and thousands die from the flu. Experts recommend both flu shots and also a pneumococcal vaccination for children below five and the geriatric age group above 65 to build up immunity against the flu. “Get vaccinated if you are in the high-risk group – people who work in crowded places, elderly, children, people who have lung or respiratory diseases, cardiac diseases, pregnant women, diabetics, those with kidney ailments, alcohol consumers, and chain-smokers," says Dr Rini Banerjee, Consultant, Infectious Disease, Columbia Asia Referral Hospital, Yeshwanthpur.

Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctor visits, and missed work and school because of flu. “Vaccination is an important step in protecting adults against serious diseases. Most people believe that they are vaccinated during their childhood and it will offer them immunity lifelong. However, immunity from childhood vaccinations wear off and people may be at risk for new and different diseases. Also, vaccines and recommendations may change over the years and certain vaccines may not have been given during childhood. As we get older, we might also be at an increased risk of vaccine-preventable diseases due to our age, job, lifestyle, travel, or chronic health conditions," says Dr K.N. Manjunath, Consultant Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Vikram Hospital, Bengaluru.