About 20 thousand people die of influenza in Russia every year, Sergei Netesov, professor at Novosibirsk State University, told reporters. The scientist conducted a statistical study and identified the group of people most vulnerable to infection.
According to Netesov, since the 1980s, elderly people, as well as those who were untimely vaccinated, have most often died from the flu and its consequences. The vice-rector noted that among the population of Russia there is an absurd belief that a severe frost is killing the infection, but the air temperature does not in any way affect the viability of pathogenic bacteria.
Sad statistics can be corrected, says the scientist. Various strains of influenza kill 20 thousand people every year, but with careful prevention and, of course, vaccination, this figure can decrease by 2-3 times. Professor Netesov has been giving lectures on molecular virology at NSU since 1992, his achievements include discoveries in the study of the genome of the Ebola virus and strains H1N1, H5N1.
Elena Razumovskaya