The flu, or influenza, is a highly transmissible viral disease of the respiratory tract. Usually, most people recover within a week or two.
It can cause serious complications, including death, in people over the age of 65, young children, pregnant people, and people with chronic diseases or conditions (such as heart, respiratory, kidney, immune suppression, cancer, transplantation, obesity, and diabetes). ).
How is this virus transmitted?
-The virus is transmitted from one person to another, mainly through droplets from a sick person’s respiratory tract, coughing, sneezing or simply speaking.
-What are the symptoms?
People with the flu may have:
- fever over 38 degrees,
- tos,
- stuffy nose,
- sore throat, headache and muscle pain,
- difficulty breathing,
- Lung infection.
-How to prevent something?
-The flu vaccine reduces complications, hospitalizations, sequelae and deaths caused by the influenza virus.
VACCINATION
The National Vaccination Calendar includes influenza vaccination for the following groups:
- Health workers: an annual dose. Check schedule for adult double vaccinations, hepatitis B and triple/double viral (measles and rubella) vaccinations.
- People over 65 years: one annual dose. Get vaccinated against pneumococcus if necessary and get double vaccinations for adults (against tetanus and diphtheria) every day.
- Persons aged 6 to 24 months inclusive must receive two doses at least 4 weeks apart, except for those received in previous years; the annual dose corresponds to them. When you go to the vaccination center, take your card with you so that they can check them and fill out plans if necessary.
- Pregnant women: You should receive the influenza vaccine at any time during pregnancy and a triple acellular bacterial (dTpa) vaccine in any pregnancy greater than 20 weeks. Remember the importance of co-administering a vaccine against COVID-19.
- People after childbirth: They must have the flu shot before they leave the maternity hospital, maximum 10 days after delivery, if they did not receive it during pregnancy. Remember the importance of co-administering a vaccine against COVID-19. When using your annual dose, remember that you must be double vaccinated for adults, against hepatitis B and against measles and rubella.
- People aged 2 to 64 inclusive with risk factors: one annual dose.
RISK FACTORS
Risk factors considered include obesity, diabetes, respiratory diseases, heart disease, congenital or acquired immunodeficiencies, oncohematological diseases, transplants and/or dialysis patients with chronic renal failure.
Individuals with risk factors may provide a doctor’s order or other documentation demonstrating the presence of conditions at risk for complications from influenza.
Strategic staff: an annual dose based on the usual dynamics of influenza vaccination strategy. And the same groups created and reached by the COVID-19 vaccine can join this category.
HEALTH CONTROL
It is very important that childhood health check-up is carried out at least once a year, even if the person is not ill. Control should include a visit to ophthalmology and dentistry.
FREE TELEPHONE
(0800) 222-1002 is a National Department of Health number that takes inquiries on a variety of subjects. Option 5 is for vaccination schedule advice.
