Far from what is desirable, but with room for improvement. The administration of the flu vaccine has slowed down this campaign. At the national level, the coverage rate for those over 65 years of age stands at 54.8%, according to data from the ‘Sanofi Gripometer’. in which La Rioja, along with Galicia, Navarra, the Basque Country and Extremadura lead the ranking of those protected against the main seasonal virus. “These are positive figures, however they can always be improved,” according to the Spanish Association of Vaccinology (AEV), which insists on the importance of the elderly and the rest of the risk groups attending to receive the immunization dose. , both against the flu and against covid, advice that is also launched by the health authorities of La Rioja.

«It is true that in the flu vaccination we are going a little slower in this campaign than last year. However, that does not mean that we cannot evolve and increase coverage, because there is still time, we are in the middle of the vaccination campaign,” says the general director of Public Health, Eva Martínez Ochoa.

According to their records, so far coverage among the population over 60 years of age is 57.34%, a rate that grows to 64.94% in the case of those over 65 years of age. “These are acceptable figures that are evolving and will increase,” insists the general director, who admits the slowdown compared to last year’s campaign, when by this time 72,000 doses had been administered compared to the current 66,000, 8.3% less.

There are some reasons, the main one being the different health situation, explains Eva Martínez Ochoa: «Last year we were still officially in a pandemic and, furthermore, at this point in December there had already been a peak in circulation of the flu virus, which caused people will be more encouraged to get vaccinated. However, this year it has not happened yet. Yes, a peak in the circulation of the virus has been observed in recent weeks, but we are not in the epidemic phase by any means.

«The campaign is still open and vaccination is a measure with impact and proven effectiveness»

Eva Martínez Ochoa

General Director of Public Health

If mask protection is so common in the recent past, the flu will surely spread, which is why experts insist on the benefits of a vaccination campaign without an expiration date. «Yes, the campaign is active and the data will continue to improve. As long as there is availability of vaccines in health centers, which is guaranteed because the initial batch available in the community was 109,000 doses, and as long as the possible period of circulation of the virus continues (it usually lasts until March), the campaign will remain open. .

Demonstrated effectiveness

Launched on October 2 in nursing homes and centers for institutionalized people, a week later it was opened to people aged 85 and over and from October 16 to the rest of the risk groups – essential personnel (healthcare , firefighters, police…), over 60 years of age and, for the first time, healthy children between 6 and 59 months of age – by requesting an appointment at the health center or doctor’s office.

«We continue to encourage the population to get vaccinated, because of course it is the preventive measure against respiratory infections that can best impact the circulation of viruses. Furthermore, vaccination against the flu protects people who are most at risk of having their process and health complicated if they contract the infection,” clarifies the expert, who insists that “it is a simple, easy, “with impact and proven effectiveness, which clearly reduces hospitalizations, deaths and complications for people who are most at risk.”

The new booster dose against covid has only been administered to 53.19% of those over 65 years of age

The pediatric flu vaccine has a coverage rate of only 13.55% among children aged 6 to 59 months

Among those groups most vulnerable to the virus, the Director General of Public Health includes children, the age cohort between 6 and 59 months, who are one of the novelties in this flu protection campaign and whose coverage rate does not end to take off, since today it stands at only 13.55%. «We also believe that it is very important for people of these ages to be vaccinated because, although it is true that the flu in children is less serious than in older people, it has been systematically implemented in this campaign in this population group. from 6 to 59 months of age due to the high number of hospitalizations, medical visits and drug consumption in this population, which is also a group of important transmission of this infection,” recalls Martínez Ochoa.

Ten points below

The booster vaccination against covid, fifth dose (sixth for some), has stalled despite the fact that a joint vaccination strategy was established along with the flu. In fact, according to this week’s Health data, among Riojans over 65 years of age the coverage rate is 53.19%, almost 10 points below the flu rate (64.94%), a percentage that in older people from 60 it falls to 46.57% (57.34% in flu).

“Indeed, there are people who, being able to use both, only administer the flu one,” admits the general director of Public Health, who includes, however, another variable in this discrepancy between both records. “It also influences that the vaccination recommendation for this dose of vaccine against Covid is that you have to wait three months to administer it if the patient has had the infection and in the summer and shortly after there were some small spikes in Covid cases and perhaps there are people who has also had to delay his booster vaccination against covid for this reason,” highlights Eva Martínez Ochoa who, as her last message, insists on the key recommendation: “The advice is to get vaccinated, of course, and in the case of people from risk or vulnerable groups, the sooner the better.

2023-12-07 06:24:30
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