The Ministry of Health launches the 2024-2025 flu vaccination campaign.

In a nutshell:

Last Monday, October 7, the Ministry of Health presented a seasonal vaccination campaign against influenza for the autumn-winter season 2024-2025. In addition, it was announced that the Public Health Commission is working with the Autonomous Communities on a document that will establish common criteria throughout the country for assessing the risk posed by acute respiratory infections and propose prevention and control measures. This year, in line with recommendations from the World Health Organization and the European Commission, the target is to reach or exceed vaccination coverage of 75% of older people and health care personnel and 60% of pregnant women and people at risk of disease. The institutional campaign can be found at the following link and its slogan is: “Don’t let the flu stop us.”

-ooo-

What is the flu and how does it affect us?

This is an infectious disease caused by a virus (influenza virus) that primarily affects the respiratory tract. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, muscle pain, runny nose, chills, sore throat, weakness and dry cough. They usually last about a week, although the cough may last more than 2 weeks.

Vomiting and diarrhea may also occur in children; they are rare in adults. In older patients, the first symptom may be an exacerbation of existing diseases. In addition, complications may occur, especially in vulnerable groups such as premature babies under 24 months of age, the elderly, people with chronic diseases, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.

Why get vaccinated?

Scientific evidence shows that vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza and its complications in vulnerable people, reducing both deaths and hospitalizations.

How does the flu vaccine work?

Flu vaccines may be inactivated or weakened. Live vaccines contain viruses weakened in the laboratory. Neither vaccine can cause illness in healthy people, but both can stimulate the production of defenses (antibodies) against the flu.

Who is the vaccine indicated for?

• People 60 years of age and older.
• Child population aged 6 to 59 months.
• Persons aged 5 years and older who are in nursing homes and disability centers, as well as other persons placed in special institutions for a long time and living in closed institutions.
• People aged 5 years and older with certain risk conditions.
• Pregnant women in any trimester of pregnancy and women in the postpartum period (up to 6 months after birth and not vaccinated during pregnancy).
• People living with those who are highly immunosuppressed. Cohabitants of older adults and people with other high-risk medical conditions may also be included.
• Employees of public and private medical and social-medical centers and institutions (both medical and non-medical) and students undergoing internships in them.
• People who work in essential government services.
• Employees of kindergartens and preschool education centers (up to 5 years).
• People who have direct occupational contact with animals or their excretions on poultry, pig or mink farms or farms or with wild animals (birds, wild boars or mustelids).
• People who have a higher risk of complications from influenza: smokers, people with celiac disease, people aged 5-18 years receiving or awaiting treatment with acetylsalicylic acid, a cerebrospinal fluid fistula, and a cochlear implant.

For more information, see the 2024-2025 Influenza and COVID-19 Vaccination Recommendations. in Spain.

Why is vaccination important for adults over 60?

The flu can affect people of any age and usually causes mild symptoms. However, older adults, pregnant women, and people with chronic illnesses or weakened immune systems are at increased risk of serious illness or complications that can lead to hospitalization or even death. Complications are also common in children under 5 years of age. Hence the importance of annual vaccination of these people.

Flu is more dangerous for older people for several reasons. One is that the immune system, which helps the body fight infections, weakens with age. This means that, for example, while the body is fighting the flu, it is possible to contract a secondary infection such as bacterial pneumonia. The second reason is that older people are more likely to have other diseases, such as diabetes, that increase the risk of complications from the flu.

Influenza vaccines have proven to be safe and effective, and their main goal is to reduce the number of severe cases and their complications, that is, to reduce the number of hospitalizations due to severe illness, as well as the number of deaths from influenza, mainly among older people. age and in people with chronic diseases.

Why is vaccination recommended?

In the 2023-2024 season, we saw very intense flu activity compared to previous seasons (pre- and post-COVID) and an increase in hospitalizations. The most affected group, with greater severity and mortality, were people over 60 years of age, especially those 80 years of age and older.

Taking into account that the protection provided by vaccination or previous infection decreases over time, and that the influenza virus circulates more in Spain between December and February, vaccination is recommended in the next season 2024-2025 in groups that are more exposed high risk of infection. serious illness. Evidence shows that recommendations from medical personnel are the most important reason for vaccinating the population.

Vaccination of health and social care staff is also recommended due to their greater exposure and potential for disease transmission to highly vulnerable people, as well as to reduce exposure and maintain critical and essential services for the community.

Benefits of the vaccine

The flu can cause complications if you become infected. Vaccination is the best way to prevent the consequences of the disease.

Where to get vaccinated

The vaccination campaign will begin in the last week of September and continue throughout October, although the dates may be adjusted depending on the availability of vaccines. Each autonomous community has established procedures for conducting this campaign. For more information, contact your autonomous community health service.

-ooo-

More information on this website

Bibliographical references and recommended references