By mid-October at the latest, doctors in the Czech Republic will have 850,000 doses of flu vaccines available, a third more than last year. That is 50,000 fewer doses than announced at the end of June by Roman Prymula, the commissioner for health research. The Association of Health Insurance Companies (SZP ČR) today informed ČTK that it has signed contracts with suppliers – Sanofi and Mylan. Tetravaccine, a vaccine containing antigens from four influenza strains, will be imported. In general, the vaccine is more effective than a vaccine with fewer antigens, the union said in a press release. Greater interest in the vaccine is expected this year due to concerns about the co-occurrence of influenza with a new type of coronavirus.
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According to insurance companies, the contracted amount of benefits has long covered the need to vaccinate groups of people with a chronic illness or other indication as well as other applicants. The vaccines will start to be imported during September and will be available to doctors in mid-October at the latest. People from risk groups and over the age of 65 have free vaccinations.
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“Both suppliers – Sanofi and Mylan – are committed to ensuring the availability of vaccines for the Czech Republic. We managed to negotiate a contract price of 298 crowns for Vaxigrip Tetra, which will make up the majority of doses available on the market.
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According to experts, from the point of view of the development of protective antibodies, vaccination is ideal to apply approximately one to two months before the expected occurrence of influenza. In practice, this means that the ideal time to start vaccination is October, around the 40th week of the year.
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At the end of June, Prymula stated that the Czechia had been promised 900,000 doses from producers. The European Union recommends that the rate of influenza vaccination in the population reach 75 percent, in the Czech Republic it is much lower. According to the State Institute of Public Health (SZÚ), about 1,500 people die of influenza each year in the Czech Republic.
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Experts warn that patients with severe influenza and severe covid-19 need the same beds with oxygen or lung ventilators in hospitals. Therefore, they may be deficient in the co-occurrence of a possible second wave of coronavirus pandemics and seasonal influenza. In addition, people with the flu will be weakened and may be at greater risk for coronavirus infection.
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