The vaccination campaign against covid and influenza in Extremadura began this Monday. This bivariate serum has begun to be applied to nursing home residents. About 50,000 doses will arrive in the region, the managing director of the SES at Canal Extremadura reported.
Ceciliano Franco was interviewed on the morning radio program Primera Hora. The Chief Executive Officer of the SES stressed the need for vaccination in clinics and health centers to be normalized once the immune process is completed in the residences.
A campaign for which, yes, it did not exclude the establishment of centralized vaccination centers, as happened with the first doses of the covid vaccine, although it is not the intention of the SES.
flu vaccine and covid
The new vaccine, which begins to be applied today, aims to stop the wave of covid and flu infections and avoid saturation in hospitals during the fall and winter. It is a vaccine that has a solid response to current covid variants and will be marketed under the Pfizer and Moderna brands.
In the case of influenza protection, this vaccine will have a response for up to four possible virus mutations, Franco says.
The head of the Extremadura Health Service wanted to underline the need to be vaccinated against both infections because, he says, they strengthen each other and improve immunity. He recalled, yes, that the Extremadurans will be able to decide whether to protect themselves from both variants, only one or, directly, not to be vaccinated.
“It is important to respect the vaccination schedule”
Asked whether this fourth dose of the covid vaccine will be extended to the entire population, Ceciliano Franco stresses that his “impression is that it will be extended to the entire” population. “Of course, the director of the SES asked who has not yet the third dose, who come to put it.
Between 20 and 25% of Extremadurans did not complete the vaccination schedule with all three doses. A figure that places Extremadura among the regions with the lowest vaccination rate with this booster dose.
Franco assured that all facilities are in place for the Extremadurans to continue their vaccination program, but points out that the problem with these figures could lie in fatigue, pandemic fatigue and the feeling of having overcome the disease. “We are living a normal life, but for sure there will be a rebound.”
flu campaign
Normalization of the covid-19 virus brings back the flu. A virus, along with the rest, which until now had been displaced by the coronavirus. Ceciliano Franco points out that the presence of more traditional viruses can be good news for the fight against the pandemic. In fact, he says, cases of bronchiolitis in children have already been detected this summer.
The flu vaccination campaign, which starts today, will primarily target the over 60s, the under 60s suffering from serious illnesses, pregnant women, essential services, nursing home staff and people living with people older than 65 years of age.
Ceciliano Franco states that there is currently no influence in Extremadura, but there will be. Even so, they do not expect a virulent campaign from the SES. “With the vaccination and prevention measures that we have already internalized, we can have contagion figures compatible with normal life”.
Covid forecast for autumn and winter
As for the covid, Ceciliano Franco does not believe that there is a change in trend in the behavior of the virus and the data on hospitalizations will remain as they have been until now. Of course, from the SES, she claims, they are prepared for the next rebound in cases.
He also deems it necessary to maintain the use of the mask in certain spaces, such as public transport or health centers.
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