Osakidets begin to vaccinate people over 60 years of age and risk groups against influenza and covid
As autumn approaches, the circulation of influenza and other respiratory viruses such as Covid-19 increases, so It’s time to prevent and the Basque government this Monday launched a vaccination campaign under the motto “With flu and Covid, don’t take risks. Get vaccinated“.People are older 60 years old and the population is in dangerpeople suffering from any type of chronic condition, pregnant women or medical, social professionals or carers will be the first to receive a dose as soon as they book an appointment, which they have already been able to do since October 4 last year via the website website of the Basque Health Service or by calling your health center by phone.
The rest of the population who want to be vaccinated will be able to request one starting November 4 next year. while Osakidetza staff made phone calls to people aged 80 and over to make appointments at their health centres.
Since appointment channels opened last Thursday, Osakidetza has scheduled a total of 38,626 peopleof which 1,500 are boys and girls and 14,407 people are over 80 years of age. Across the territory, 4,169 receptions were carried out in Álava (277 children and 1,165 over 80s), 20,970 in Vizcaya (1,064 children and 7,914 over 80s) and 13,487 in Guipuzcoa (233 children and 5,328 over 80s) ).
Flu and Covid
As in previous years, along with the flu vaccine, the option to receive the Covid-19 vaccine is offered, which has been updated to include the Omicron option. The Department of Health recommends double vaccination, especially this year, given the predictable co-circulation of both viruses, as well as the high incidence of the virus in the southern hemisphere in the fall, which provides a gauge for predicting how the flu may behave. in the coming months.
Children’s vaccine
As last year, Osakidetsa will systematically vaccinate children against the flu. from 6 months to 5 years, since the injection is included in the childhood vaccination schedule. Minors aged 5 years and older with risk pathologies will also be vaccinated.
Dose recording
Osakidets has 755.6 thousand doses of flu vaccine have been prepared, and if necessary This amount could be increased by a further 20% until it reaches 906,720, the largest amount ever planned by the Health Service. in the 36 vaccination campaigns that have been carried out so far. 700,000 of these doses are for the quadrivalent split flu vaccine, which most of the population will receive; 19,500 doses carry a high antigen load and are intended for people over 65 years of age in nursing homes; 1,100 doses of quadrivalent cell culture influenza vaccine will be given to individuals with egg allergies, and 35,000 intranasal doses will be given to children aged 2 to 5 years.
Call for vaccination
He Deputy Minister of Health, Enrique Peiroencourages the population to get vaccinated because it is the best way to protect themselves and the entire society, especially this year because ““We must be prepared for the possible co-spread of influenza and Covid this fall.”– said the deputy adviser, who is also an epidemiologist.