With the drop in temperature now becoming noticeable and closed spaces starting to receive more people, the period of outbreak of viruses also begins which imposes increased protection measures and flu vaccination, with priority to vulnerable groups.
As the president of EINAP, Matina Pagoni, emphasizes, from Monday, October 21, the anti-influenza vaccination begins, for the first high-risk group, with underlying diseases.
As he explained, from November the younger ages will go, while for the young children, as he emphasized, “the parents will talk to the pediatrician and he will give the instructions.”
Experts are also worried about the new mutations of the virus. “We are very worried because last year we had some outbreaks at the end of October and November and we had queues at the pediatric hospitals, with too many cases. The infections had started too early. We hope that this year they will not be in an upsurge so early, that they will go a little later, for the good of all of us”, emphasizes Mrs. Pagoni.
“Regarding the coronavirus, antiviral drugs have helped tremendously from ages 64 and up. This, however, until the first 5 days in consultation with the doctor. After three years of coronavirus, the organisms have weakened, they do not have the antibodies they had. Needs some attention. He needs an antiseptic with us”, concluded Matina Pagoni.
The first batches of flu vaccines have reached pharmacies, while the relevant circular of the Ministry of Health notes that it is expected that during the upcoming flu season 2024-2025 the flu virus will circulate alongside the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes the disease COVID-19. This particular juncture requires the implementation of influenza vaccination in the coming period with priority vaccination of persons belonging to groups of increased risk.
It is recommended that the flu vaccination be carried out in the period from mid-October to the end of November based on the usual start of the seasonal flu outbreak in our country.
Priority population groups to be vaccinated
- People aged 60 and over.
- Infants and children aged 6 months to 5 years.
- Children over 5 years of age and adults with aggravating factors or chronic diseases
- Pregnant women regardless of gestational age, lactating women and lactating women.
- People with morbid obesity (Body Mass Index >40Kg/m2) and children with BMI >95th CI.
- Children taking aspirin long-term (eg for Kawasaki disease, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.).
- People who are in close contact with children younger than 6 months or care for or live with people with an underlying illness, which increases the risk of flu complications.
- Closed populations, such as staff and boarders (of schools, military and police academies, special schools, etc.), new recruits, nursing homes and nursing homes, detention centers.
- Workers in health service provision areas (medical and nursing staff, other workers, students of health professions in clinical practice) and in refugee-immigrant accommodation centers.
- Homeless.
- Veterinarians, poultry farmers, pig farmers, breeders [συμπεριλαμβανομένων εκτροφέων μινκ (γουνοφόρα θηλαστικά)]butchers and general persons who come into systematic contact with birds or pigs.
“The most effective way of prevention is vaccination with the influenza vaccine, which, when administered correctly and on time, protects against the transmission of the influenza virus, contributes to protection against serious complications of the flu and, by extension, to the reduction of absences from work, school and any other social event”, the circular emphasizes.
“It’s time to do the vaccinations. As every year, the vaccination committee has drawn up this year the recommended vaccines for 2024-2025, which compared to last year have some differences”, emphasizes specialist pathologist Kostas Stavropoulos.
The doctor pointed out that cases of coronavirus have already started to appear, making it clear that “coronavirus and flu vaccines should be given without any hesitation.”
“The hesitancy towards vaccines, especially the coronavirus, is a global issue, not only in Greece”, concluded Mr. Stavropoulos.
During this year’s period, the majority of patients hospitalized in the ICU or who died with laboratory-confirmed influenza had not received the influenza vaccine, even though they belonged to an increased risk group for which vaccination is recommended.
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