Influenza season: The first to be vaccinated

People over 65 years of age, pregnant women, children from six to 23 months, and people at risk with comorbidities are the groups prioritized by the Ministry of Public Health for vaccination against influenza, whose application campaign is scheduled to start soon.

For immunization against seasonal flu or influenza, the country has 450,000 doses, 30% above those obtained last year. However, the health authorities assured that there are currently no influenza outbreaks in the country and that the cases that are being registered are those expected at this time of year.

Nicole Batlle, director of the Expanded Immunization Program (EPI), reported that a high-quality vaccination session is being prepared to begin implementation through the hospital network and fixed vaccination points throughout the country.

She recalled that influenza is a seasonal vaccine, which is part of the routine program of the Ministry of Public Health, which is available every year in the country.

She said that the vaccines were received last week and that the entire distribution process has already been done and that it will be reported soon when people who qualify can begin to request the vaccine, which is aimed at-risk patients with comorbidities more significant than 65 years, pregnant, children, from 6 to 23 months.

Batlle further assured that the commitment is to guarantee access to as many people as possible.

Free vaccines
On the subject, the Minister of Public Health, Daniel Rivera, said that the country received 30% more of the influenza vaccine this year than last year and recalled that these vaccines are applied for free through the Program Expanded Immunization.

He stressed that the pentavalent vaccine that is part of the regular vaccination program applied in the first year of life contains influenza B, of which more than 600 thousand doses have been placed.

Against Covid
Likewise, the official pointed out that in the Dominican Republic, 13,480,235 doses of vaccines against Covid-19 have been applied, this covers 76.7 percent of the population with the first dose and 62.7 percent with a second dose; therefore, It only remains to use 568 thousand vaccines, 7.3%, to reach the proposed country goal of 70%.

He pointed out that eight deaths have been reported this week and that none of them were vaccinated, which shows that most, but not all complications from Covid-19, correspond to those who have not been vaccinated.

SYMPTOMS
Centers.
The Minister of Health called for those who present symptoms of Covid to go to the nearest health centers to receive care and continue with the use of masks, hand washing, distancing, among other disease prevention mechanisms.

Increase.
In recent weeks, health centers have registered a significant increase in the demand for care of children and adults in medical consultations and emergencies suffering from respiratory processes, including influenza type B.