In the second half of April, 700,000 doses of the flu vaccine will arrive in Uruguay, sources from the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) reported to Montevideo Portal.
Although it is not a mandatory vaccine, the ministry always advises administering it to avoid infections by other viruses that circulate in cold months.
In addition, in the cases of people who have had coronavirus, they can get the flu vaccine once they are discharged. In this sense, during the 2021 flu campaign there was a recommended 7-day period between the covid-19 vaccine (any of its doses) and the flu vaccine. If necessary, both vaccines could be received on the same day.
Although this vaccine is recommended for the entire population, there are some risk groups, for example: pregnant and postpartum women up to six months after delivery; children between six months and four years and 11 months; children, adolescents, youth and adults with comorbidities; health personnel and essential services (police, military, firefighters and teachers) and over 65 years.
Also, children younger than 6 months cannot receive the vaccine. Those who should be vaccinated are those who care for babies under 6 months.
Comorbidities associated with influenza complications are: respiratory diseases including asthma, cystic fibrosis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia; cardiovascular diseases including isolated arterial hypertension; diabetes, morbid obesity, chronic kidney disease, neuromuscular diseases, immunocompromised due to disease or medication, people on long-term treatment with acetylsalicylic acid.
Also, pregnant women can get the flu shot and the whooping cough shot at the same time, but the whooping cough shot can be given after 28 weeks of pregnancy.
Flu vaccine and anticovid
A global study of more than 70,000 patients with covid-19 showed that the annual flu vaccine “can protect against the severe effects” of the coronavirus, scientists from the University of Miami (UM) disclosed in August 2021.
Research conducted by the UM from patient records from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Israel and Singapore, among other countries, indicates that they detected “an association between the flu vaccine and the reduction of morbidity in patients with covid-19”.
The analysis “strongly suggests that annual flu vaccination reduces the risks of stroke, sepsis, and deep vein thrombosis in patients with COVID-19,” says the UM Miller School of Medicine.
About the coronavirus vaccine, the Public Health Minister Daniel Salinas He said days ago that the anticovid vaccine “will become like a flu vaccine at some point, until the end of the pandemic is determined.” The minister said that “we will have to give ourselves one for the flu and one for coronavirus, no longer as a novelty, but as a routine.”
