Flu vaccine, doctors’ plea: “Do it because there is a risk of serious complications”

The campaign for the flu vaccine 2024-2025 started this morning at Villa Magnisi, headquarters of the Palermo Doctors Association: it was an opportunity to reiterate the importance of vaccination and prevention. The first to receive the vaccine were the president of Omceo Toti Amato, the regional secretary of the Federation of Italian Family Doctors (Fimmg), Luigi Galvano, and the young doctors of the School of special training in General Medicine.

Participating in the establishment of the campaign was, in addition to the regional secretary of Fimmg, Luigi Tramonte, among the vaccination doctors of the day, the general manager of the Strategic Planning department of the Health Department, Salvatore Iacolino, the general manager. of the Health Activity department and epidemiological observatory, Salvatore Requirez, and Maria Angela Randazzo, director of the public health complex hospital unit, epidemiology and preventive medicine of the Asp Palermo.

Doctors President Amato emphasized that flu vaccines not only prevent the flu, but also reduce the risk of diseases that can cause serious problems, especially for those who are most vulnerable injured. “After the controversies about the Covid vaccines – he said – there has been a reluctance to vaccinate; now the public needs to be reassured about the safety of flu vaccines, also because any adverse effects are known and easily managed”. Secretary Galvano then highlighted the high expectations for the vaccination campaign that has just begun, noting that the previous one had been inter-lateral, trying to remove the face from the disease spread: “The risk of it returning to pre-Covid mortality levels, around 8,000. deaths every year in Italy and 40,000 in Europe, it is concrete – he emphasized – due to the strength of the flu and the complications associated with it”.

Iacolino highlighted the positive response from the healthcare world, with exceptional support from family doctors, pediatricians and affiliated pharmacies: “We hope – he said – that there can be more access in the lifestyle of – related to resistance from patients towards vaccinations. The subject is vital and the department is equipped to guarantee maximum support.” The manager explained that the strategic planning department deals with many areas, from the fight against cocaine trafficking to joint problems. related to alcohol, up to the administration of vaccines and the fight against violence against health care workers and waiting lists: “The plan to reduce waiting lists is working – he said – but more elements are needed intervention”.

The job of the institutions, for Requirez, is to work to overcome the public’s mistrust and provide appropriate answers: “The idea of ​​resistance to vaccines has a cultural basis that needs to be overcome . We cannot think of a healthy primary prevention policy, that is, the removal of risk factors for infectious and chronic diseases, without also looking at the world of infectious disease: infectious diseases still cause death today, but also temporary and permanent disabilities assign a key role to all strategies that look at primary prevention and investment in cross beliefs through communication: the progress achieved in the field of vaccines protects safety and health”.

The goal of the Palermo ASP, Randazzo finally explained, “is to reach a large part of the population, offering vaccination not only in reserved centers, but with a series of open days, giving -enter travel between Palermo and the province, in which there will be access to free services.