Amiran Gamkrelidze, the former director of the National Center for Disease Control, addresses citizens with recommendations on how to protect themselves from respiratory viruses and in what cases they should consult a doctor.

As Gamkrelidze told InterPressNews, it is recommended to get flu vaccination, maintain personal hygiene, frequently ventilate closed spaces, wear a mask in medical facilities and gathering places.

In addition, according to the specialist's explanation, if a child or an elderly person has a fever for more than 2 days, they should consult a family doctor.

"It's the season of activation of respiratory viruses because it's winter and it will be like that until the end of April with varying intensity. Leading will be three respiratory viruses - influenza, RSV [respiratory syncytial virus], coronavirus. At different stages, their specific share in circulation will be different. Sometimes one will prevail, sometimes the second, sometimes the third.

Among the preventive measures, the most important thing is to pay attention to children, infants and the elderly - they are most susceptible to the virus, as their immune systems are not strong. We have a vaccine against only one of these three viruses. It's a 4-component flu vaccine and it's pretty good. This culture has already been introduced - all risk groups get vaccinated. Citizens are recommended to apply to the vaccination offices and take active precautions against the flu. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine against Omicron. Therefore, the recommendation remains general - hygienic and preventive measures - that is, frequent ventilation of closed buildings, frequent hand washing. If a child or an elderly person has an increase in temperature and this temperature lasts more than 2 days within the range of 38-39 degrees, it is necessary to contact the family doctor and manage the disease according to his recommendations. These diseases are generally managed on an outpatient basis, but in some cases hospitalization is required, and it is the doctor who decides when hospitalization should be done. At the same time, it is recommended that everyone in medical institutions use a mask at this time - employees and visitors.

Also, I would say that it is desirable for people to use a mask in places of large gatherings this season, because the coronavirus pandemic has been declared over, but we cannot eradicate the coronavirus yet, it circulates and still has a certain burden on public health", said Amiran Gamkrelidze.