Camilla Stoltenberg of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and Director of Health Bjørn Guldvog will hold a press conference on the flu season on Thursday morning.
FHI predicts a flu epidemic in the winter, they write in a press release.
– We expect viruses that have not been around for several years to return. This is a virus against which we have little protection, and this is especially true for young children, Stoltenberg writes in a press release.
Stoltenberg told the press conference that they expect a new flu spike after the next corona spike.
Children in risk groups are particularly exposed. It is a group that has a low vaccination rate, writes FHI in the press release. Only 8% of the children in the risk groups are vaccinated against the flu.
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– Influenza was largely absent during the pandemic due to strict infection control measures and thus the protection of the population against influenza is low. Some children have never had the flu and therefore have little or no immunity. Therefore, it is very important that risk groups remember to get the flu shot this year, Stoltenberg writes.
The reason for the low level of protection is that crown measures have limited the spread of the flu. Before the pandemic, an average of 5,000 people a year were hospitalized with flu. The proportion was greater between the youngest and the oldest.
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20-30% of all children get the flu during a normal flu season. This year, this percentage could be even higher.
– Children normally tolerate flu well, but some become seriously ill and we see deaths, says Stoltenberg.
It also encourages all vaccine providers to keep the price as low as possible.
– I recommend that all target groups get vaccinated again this year, he concludes.
Director of Health Bjørn Guldvog especially encourages healthcare professionals to get vaccinated, both to protect themselves and their patients.
