Question of the Day: is it possible to get a military deferment from the army because of the flu?

Influenza is an acute viral disease that affects the upper respiratory tract and is prone to complications due to secondary bacterial flora. The experts of the company "PrizyvaNet" will tell you whether it is possible to get a deferment from the army in case of illness and what to do if you have a summons and you are ill.

According to Rospotrebnadzor, in 2021, the incidence of influenza was 0.71 per 100,000 population, now the figure is 7.87 per 100,000 population. First of all, this can be attributed to the fact that Russians have become less vaccinated against influenza: in 2021, 85.9 million people were vaccinated, and in 2022 only 74 million people.

Also in 2021, the spread of viral infections was favorably affected by anti-epidemiological measures aimed at preventing a new coronavirus infection: the use of personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves; maintaining social distance; refraining from visiting crowded places; the possibility of remote format of work in some areas of activity; the use of means of non-specific prevention of viral infections by the type of vitamin complexes, restorative and immunomodulatory drugs. Due to the decrease in the incidence of coronavirus in the summer of 2022, many measures aimed at reducing the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus became less relevant, which contributed to a sharp jump in the incidence of the population not only with influenza, but also with other acute respiratory viral diseases.

It is obvious that the experience of working with coronavirus infection is now being used by healthcare workers in relation to other infectious diseases, diagnostic methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR, a method for detecting DNA or RNA fragments of a specific pathogen in the material obtained from a patient) have become more accessible. ), enzyme immunoassay (ELISA, a method for the qualitative or quantitative detection of viruses in material obtained from a patient), the literacy of outpatient doctors in the field of diagnosing viral infections has increased.

Kanushin Nikita, head of the group of doctors of the medical and legal company "PrizyvaNet", emphasizes: “ Typical manifestations are symptoms of intoxication - fever (38-40 ° C), headaches, muscle and joint pains, chills. The source of infection in influenza is the patient. The infection is transmitted by airborne droplets. Susceptibility to influenza is high. The main route of transmission of the virus is airborne, so during the flu season, do not neglect personal hygiene and basic infection prevention, which involves wearing masks in crowded places. In addition, the virus can be transmitted through person-to-person contact, as well as through contact with objects that an infected person has previously come into contact with, which further increases the relevance of personal hygiene.”

The risk groups primarily include:

• Children under 5 years old, especially children under 2 years old;
• Elderly people over 65;
• People with chronic diseases of the heart, kidneys, liver;
• Patients with diabetes;
• Patients with immunodeficiency;
• Women in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy;
• Young people under the age of 18 who regularly take aspirin.

In these groups, the disease may be more severe than usual, including an increased risk of death.

Influenza is especially difficult for such groups of the population as the elderly, patients with diabetes mellitus, oncological and cardiovascular diseases, pregnant women and children. For these groups, complications that can develop during and after the disease are very dangerous.

According to some virologists, there is a certain causal relationship between the patient's age and influenza infection: it is believed that due to coronavirus infection in 2020-2021. other viral pathogens circulated less, and, accordingly, “infected” the population less, so children did not develop natural immunity to such diseases. Now, when the body is confronted with such an "aggressive" influenza virus, the course of the disease often proceeds in more severe forms.

Nikita Kanushin added: “ It can be assumed that due to the period of “isolation” in 2020-2022. the majority of the population was not in the conditions of "exchange of pathogens", which one way or another are an integral part of human life. A striking example is the beginning of the school year in schools or universities and the natural increase in the incidence of SARS. This is an absolutely natural phenomenon, which did not exist at the time of the anti-epidemiological measures during the period of high prevalence of coronavirus infection.”

Can I get a reprieve if I get the flu?

Unfortunately, the flu does not allow you to be exempt from conscription on a permanent basis. During the illness, a deferment for treatment will be issued until full recovery, after which the conscript's state of health will be assessed. If, in connection with the flu, unremovable or difficult-to-remove complications remain in the body, they will be subject to examination under the relevant article of the Schedule of Diseases, depending on the affected organ and type of lesion.

Appearance on a summons received in person is always required. You can skip a visit to the military registration and enlistment office only if there is a good reason. In all other cases, this is a failure to appear with all the ensuing consequences! Valid reasons are established in Art. 7 of the Federal Law of March 28, 1998 No. 53-FZ “On military duty and military service”. This is the only list that exists and works. There is a paragraph “and other reasons recognized by the court or the draft board as valid”, but we do not know what reasons can be recognized as valid, except for those listed in the above article. In any case, if a conscript falls ill with the flu, you need to call a doctor and document your disability - it is desirable that this be a sick leave, then this will be a good reason. However, if the conscript does not work anywhere, it is impossible to get a sick leave.

In accordance with the Federal Law of April 30, 2021 No. 126-FZ “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation on Compulsory Social Insurance”, from January 1, 2022, unemployed citizens are not issued a certificate of incapacity for work. How to properly document your illness and disability, as well as how to competently notify the military registration and enlistment office about your illness, the lawyers of the company "PrizyvaNet" will be able to tell you. For example, you can insist that you issue a certificate in the form 095 / y, which is usually issued to schoolchildren and students, and this will apply to “other reasons”. Also, in order not to draw up an administrative Protocol in your absence at the military registration and enlistment office, it is better to call the military registration and enlistment office and report your illness. But even if you do not do this and a Decision on the offense is issued against a sick conscript, it can easily be appealed.

It is important that as soon as the sick leave ends and the doctor discharges you, the next day you must appear at the military commissariat. If the draft board has finished its work, you will be given a summons for the next call. But if you fell ill with the flu when you received the second summons to send, this is also a good reason. But there is a serious feature here - if you do not show up for dispatch on a subpoena without a good reason - this is already a criminal liability! Therefore, proof of your illness and proper documentation in this case is even more important. The next day after recovery, you also need to appear on the agenda for sending to the draft board. If January has come and everyone has already been sent and the draft board has completed its work, then you will only be given a new summons to undergo a medical examination as part of the next call. Since, according to Russian legislation, all events within the framework of one call are held again by recruits.

Prevention

In most cases, the disease can be prevented with an annual vaccination. Vaccines currently protect against most seasonal virus strains, as well as pandemic H1N1 influenza A and influenza B viruses.

This measure is indicated for the whole patient, but is more important for patients at high risk of infection and for healthcare practitioners.

There are 2 main types of flu vaccine:

• Inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) - administered intramuscularly;
• Live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) - given as nasal drops.

Influenza vaccination is given annually to maintain antibody titers and allow vaccine modifications to compensate for flu virus antigen drift. It is best to vaccinate in the fall so that antibodies are at a high level during the winter period.