2024-06-06 13:39:31
The flood scenario in southern Germany stays vital. The RKI advises elevated precautionary measures within the significantly affected areas.
Water plenty and raging currents are the best quick risks to life and limb in flood areas. Lately, six flood deaths have been reported in Germany. Learn extra about this right here.
However even when the water is standing, working or has run out, well being dangers lurk. The Robert Koch Institute attracts consideration to those and provides recommendation on how flood victims ought to take care of the scenario.
An outbreak of infectious ailments is all the time to be feared in reference to floods. Nevertheless, trying again, it have to be stated that there have been no uncommon outbreaks throughout floods in Germany thus far.
Hygiene issues come up particularly after the flooding has ended, when residents come into intensive contact with water which may be contaminated with faeces whereas cleansing up their homes, cellars and gardens. This will result in gastrointestinal ailments, but additionally to contagious liver irritation (following an an infection with hepatitis A viruses).
Right here, safety in opposition to illness is especially essential: use rubber boots, waterproof gloves and water-repellent clothes. Wash your arms completely earlier than consuming or smoking. And crucial: youngsters shouldn’t bathe or play in flood water.
As well as, these affected should be certain that they solely eat meals that’s clear and has not come into contact with flood water, and above all that they drink clear ingesting water. The RKI writes: “It may be assumed that the ingesting water is consistently monitored regionally and that the native authorities inform the inhabitants about doable issues with the standard of the ingesting water.” Any calls from the accountable well being authority to boil the ingesting water ought to be adopted with out fail.
Backyard house owners ought to keep in mind that water from ponds and streams might be not appropriate for watering greens, crops and fruit after a flood. Using personal wells is especially problematic. These ought to solely be put again into operation after approval from the accountable well being authority.
The danger of damage is excessive throughout cleanup work, so tetanus vaccination standing ought to be checked.
It’s endorsed that the tetanus vaccination be refreshed each ten years. If there’s inadequate or unclear vaccination safety, within the occasion of an damage it is best to make clear with your loved ones physician (considering the kind of wound and the variety of earlier vaccinations) whether or not quick vaccination is important.
In accordance with the expertise of earlier huge flooding occasions in Germany and different European nations, a normal vaccination of these affected in opposition to hepatitis A is mostly not crucial, in keeping with the RKI. It might be thought of in circumstances of explicit threat (no availability of fresh ingesting and washing water or meals).
The Standing Committee on Vaccination recommends that sewer and sewage remedy plant employees be vaccinated in opposition to hepatitis A, no matter flooding. Such a vaccination may additionally be helpful for emergency employees. Particulars ought to be mentioned with the native well being authority.