There is a risk of a “double pandemic” / 1.2 million Romanians have been vaccinated against influenza

The situation has raised concerns about a prolonged “twindemic” with COVID-19 amid doubts about the effectiveness of flu vaccines.

Closures, wearing masks and social distancing, which became the norm in Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic, wiped out the flu last winter, temporarily eradicating a virus that kills around 650,000 people a year worldwide, according to EU figures .

But that has now changed as countries take less stringent measures to combat COVID-19 due to widespread vaccination. Influenza viruses have been circulating in Europe at a faster pace than expected since mid-December, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported this month.

The return of the virus could be the start of an unusually long flu season, which could last into the summer, Pasi Penttinen, ECDC’s top flu expert, told Reuters.

He said the abolition of restrictive measures in the spring could prolong the circulation of the flu far beyond the normal end of the European season in May.

A “double pandemic” could put major pressure on already overworked health systems, the ECDC said in a report.

In Romania in the first week of the year, the total number of cases of acute respiratory infections (clinical flu, IACRS and pneumonia) was 45,869, 1.5 times higher than that recorded in the same week of the previous season (30,513) and 21.1 % higher compared to the previous week (37,877). 107 cases of clinical influenza have been reported nationwide compared to 26 cases.

Until 09.01.2022, 1,218,345 people from the at-risk groups were vaccinated against influenza, with a vaccine distributed by the Ministry of Health.

–

For the most important news of the day, broadcast in real time and presented equidistantly, LIKE our Facebook page!

Follows Mediafax on Instagram to see spectacular images and stories from around the world!

The content of the website www.mediafax.ro is intended exclusively for your personal information and use. It is prohibited republishing the content of this site in the absence of an agreement from MEDIAFAX. To obtain this agreement, please contact us at [email protected].