Low Interest in Flu Vaccine Among San Juan Residents: Ministry of Health Official

“I don’t understand what’s going on,” said Fabio Muñoz, head of Immunizations at the Ministry of Health, trying to explain why people are not attending to get the flu vaccine. The official commented that of the total San Juan residents that make up the risk group, only 33% have already received the corresponding dose. “We only gave about 70,000 vaccines and the target population is made up of about 210,000. The interest there is is very low,” he added.

The risk group is made up of pregnant women, health personnel, children from 6 to 24 months, chronic patients and people over 65 years of age. For them, the flu is completely free and is placed throughout the province. “But this year, unlike others, people almost did not attend to get vaccinated. Before it was crazy, we saw that even those who do not belong to this risk group were looking for a way to receive a dose and many bought it in pharmacies. Today that does not happen. At this point in the campaign we already had vaccinated 60% of the target population. With this percentage we would have good coverage,” Muñoz added, saying that the health and vaccination centers are carrying out campaigns, but that nor are they having the expected result. “We can go anywhere, but if people don’t accept the vaccine, we can’t do anything else,” he stressed and said that until a few weeks ago, the group that attended the vaccination the most (close to half) were the elderly. .

Although at first he said he did not understand what is happening with people, Muñoz commented that for the health authorities, the little interest in vaccines may be a consequence of the covid. “With the pandemic, people have had enough of vaccination and it may be that this is happening, but those who make up the risk group must understand that this vaccine is another and that it is essential to avoid complications if they catch the flu. The vaccine is updated year after year and no matter how much they have last year’s, they need this season’s, because the previous one doesn’t work for them,” he explained and said that at the same time, they are very concerned about children under 2 years of age who are not being taken for them to receive the flu.

“There is a national alert for bronchiolitis in children under 2 years of age and the flu is one of the most important to indirectly protect children from many respiratory infections. We are concerned that they are not taking children to vaccination,” added the official and asked the community to come to the vaccinator.

OPENING HOURS

The Central Vaccination Center (located at España 587 Norte, Capital) is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.