“Influenza Vaccines Available in Bogotá to Prevent Severe Complications and Deaths from Contagious Disease”

In Bogotá, the influenza vaccine is already available for application. Each year, this disease causes around 650,000 deaths globally.

What is influenza?

Commonly known as influenza, it is a contagious viral disease that mainly affects the respiratory tract. It is caused by influenza viruses and is transmitted through droplets expelled by coughing, sneezing, or talking.

Influenza can come in different forms, from mild to severe, and can lead to severe complications, especially in people with weakened immune systems, older adults, and young children.

“It is associated with serious complications, with the need for hospitalization, the need for oxygen, admission to intensive care units, it can even cause mortality,” said Claudia Beltrán, infectious disease specialist and pediatrician.

The flu can last between 3 and 7 days. That’s why it’s key to know the symptoms.

“Sore throat, runny nose, malaise, headache. But it can also cause work incapacity, school absenteeism, among others,” argued Beltrán.

Experts agree that the best measure to prevent this disease is vaccination, which is done once a year.
“In children from 6 to 11 months of age, two doses are required with an interval of four weeks; if it is from 12 to 35 months, if it is the first vaccine, it is one dose and the interval does not apply because it is a single dose; if it is from 12 to 35 years, there are two doses with an interval of four weeks; and, if it is a population with a pathology of those described and has a chronic condition, it is a single dose,” said Manuel González, undersecretary of Public Health of Bogotá.

Influenza Vaccine in Bogota

Precisely, the District Secretary of Health announced that Bogotá has 289,155 doses of these vaccines that will be applied free of charge. boys and girls between 6 and 23 months of age, pregnant women after their 14th week, people over 60 years of age and the population with a risk diagnosis.

“They can apply it at any of the 200 vaccination points, regardless of the type of EPS or affiliation they have. They can enter www.saludcapital.com.co
and there is a banner that says ‘Vaccination’, they enter and the application has the possibility of finding the nearest point”, added the undersecretary.

Influenza vaccination should be accompanied by self-care measures such as hand washing. And if you have any respiratory symptoms, the use of face masks is recommended.