– Authorities called on the population to come to get vaccinated and reported that the target groups of the campaign may be inoculated simultaneously with a vaccine for influenza and a different one for COVID-19.
The Minister of Health, Ximena Aguilera, together with the Undersecretary of Public Health, Andrea Albagli, and the Undersecretary of Assistance Networks, Fernando Araos, participated in the launch of the National Vaccination Campaign against Influenza and COVID-19, in the commune of San Joaquín, which this year is called “Vaccinate with the duo”, and which seeks to encourage inoculation for both diseases.
“We are taking advantage of the possibility of doing both inoculations at the same time, which means saving time for people,” said Minister Aguilera, noting that people belonging to the target groups can be vaccinated simultaneously, on the same day, in the same place with a vaccine for Influenza and a different one for COVID-19.
In this regard, he reiterated the call to get vaccinated to prevent becoming seriously ill or dying from these two diseases: “Influenza vaccination is very important because it reduces the risk of having serious conditions or dying. When people have influenza, they often get complicated and develop pneumonia and this disease leads to hospitalization and finally causes death, something that we have managed to avoid over the years thanks to the influenza vaccine,” said the health minister, noting that since For more than 20 years, Chile has managed to be one of the countries in the world with the highest influenza vaccination coverage.
Along the same lines, the Undersecretary of Public Health, Andrea Albagli, highlighted the importance of getting vaccinated to be protected against Influenza and COVID-19, recalling that there are more than 1,200 vaccination points throughout the country.
“We are congratulating the information to people through the Me Vacuno.cl platform, where you can find the vaccination point closest to your home georeferenced, thus making things easier for people. I invite everyone to reach a protected winter, where we can take care of ourselves and everyone we love”, emphasized Undersecretary Albagli.
For his part, the Undersecretary of Assistance Networks, Fernando Araos, thanked the municipalities for the effort made by the Primary Care health teams in the vaccination process.
“This is the beginning of a campaign that will be reproduced in each of the regions of our country and there we will be working hard with the most effective and safe way to reduce winter diseases, which this year is estimated to have a high circulation viral,” said Undersecretary Araos.
The influenza vaccine is only for risk groups, while the COVID-19 vaccine is for the entire population from 3 years of age. Both are free in the public and private health system.
Who should get vaccinated?
Against the flu:
- pregnant people
- People with chronic illnesses
- People over 65 years of age
- Girls and boys between 6 months and up to 5th grade
Against COVID-19:
COVID-19 vaccine from 3 years of age for the entire population.
Reinforcement with Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine from 12 years of age for prioritized groups:
- People older than 50 years
- Immunosuppressed people
- People with chronic illnesses
- caregivers
- Health facility staff
- People who work in companies that provide basic services.
More information at www.minsal.cl
