The Department of Universal Health and Public Health will contact during this month of September with patients considered at risk and with an indication of a flu vaccine, to meet them in person once the campaign begins, which this year starts on October 5.
This has been announced by the Minister of Universal Health and Public Health, Ana Barceló, who has explained that vaccination in health centers will be carried out by appointment, precisely to maintain security measures due to COVID-19.
"The campaign aims to avoid complications from the flu, so it is aimed at the population groups most susceptible to these complications and other special groups, it is not intended to vaccinate the entire population, only those included in the so-called groups risk for the flu ", has underlined the councilor, after explaining that the objectives that have been set for this season are to achieve 75% coverage in people over 64 years of age and health personnel and 60% in risk groups for pathologies and pregnant women.
The head of Health has advanced that this season a vaccination strategy will be carried out aimed at people who reside or work in residences and day centers at the beginning of the campaign, so that they are preferably vaccinated during the first week. From the Public Health Center corresponding, the necessary doses of vaccines will be provided to each residence.
"Vaccination of health personnel is a priority and should be vaccinated at the beginning of the campaign", has added Barceló. Initially, the 810.000 doses purchased directly by the Ministry of Health will be distributed, with a first delivery in the week of September 28 to October 4 (60% of the doses) and a second delivery the week of September 26 to 31 October (40% remaining). The vaccine doses provided by the Ministry would then be delivered (446.100 additional doses).
"The flu vaccine has been shown for many years to be safe and effective. It must be remembered that the flu is a trivial process in people without pathology, but it can cause complications in people with pathologies or pregnant women and vaccinated people have a lower risk of complications ", has stressed Barceló.
The regional minister recalled that it is necessary to reduce the healthcare burden as much as possible, since the periods in which the flu virus circulates there is an overload of the system.
