An expert explains why it is important to get vaccinated against the influenza virus in the midst of the pandemic experienced by COVID-19, of which the evolution it will have is unknown. In addition, it urges to maintain hygiene measures to combat the contagion of both diseases.
Madrid, December 11 (EuropaPress) .- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the gripe seasonal is a infection acute viral, caused by the virus influenza, which spreads easily between people and circulates around the world. Outside of the pandemic, the figures that were handled are that up to 650 thousand people could die a year from this infection.
That is why vaccination against gripe, not only for the individual benefit, but also for the collective. In an interview with EuropaPress Dr. Esther Redondo Margüello, head of the Vaccines area of the Infectious, Migrant, Vaccines and Preventive Activities working group of the Spanish Society of Primary Care Physicians (Semergen), recalls that the vaccination against influenza in risk groups is essential because they are the ones who associate the highest morbidity and mortality with the aforementioned infection.
“Flu vaccination is a priority in risk groups. Risk groups are diabetics, people with cardiovascular, kidney and respiratory diseases, certain blood diseases, cancer or immunosuppressed patients, pregnant women, or those over 65 years of age. In these cases, the flu is more likely to become complicated, and therefore to require hospitalization, and in the case of the elderly especially to cause mortality. For this reason and we must guarantee the vaccination of these groups ”, he adds.
Why is it appropriate, in general terms, to be vaccinated against the flu, even though you are not a risk group, but being in a pandemic of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2? Dr. Redondo Margüello stresses in the first place that the benefit obtained from vaccination at the public health level will be greater the greater the vaccination coverage, that is, the more people are vaccinated, because this will reduce the circulation of the influenza virus in the community and, therefore, that it can affect the most vulnerable.
Here it mentions that the flu vaccine is moderately effective in epidemic times and is around 60-65 percent. “For this reason, when the main risk groups have been vaccinated, a rescue can always be made of the vaccines leftovers from gripe for the general population without being at risk. Also, if there is seasonal availability in community pharmacies, these people obtain individual and collective benefit with their vaccination ”, remarks the Semergen doctor.
Regarding whether there are figures for the number of people who die from the flu, he affirms that there are: “Specifically, the figures for deaths from flu in the last season prepandemia, en 2019-2020There were three thousand 900 deaths; It can be a much higher number, even six thousand – eight thousand deaths in the group of over 65 years, but it all depends on the severity of the disease. epidemic season and the virulence of the circulating influenza virus ”.
COINCIDENCE WITH COVID
At this point, the head of the Vaccines area of the Semergen Infectious, Migrant, Vaccines and Preventive Activities working group recalls how at the beginning of the debut of the pandemic of COVID There was great concern because it was not known what would be the behavior of both respiratory viruses and a possible coexistence between them and if this would mean an even greater disaster of saturation of health services.
Here the doctor acknowledges that there have been cases of coinfección, although a “small number”, because the ecological niche of the influenza virus has been occupied by the SARS CoV-2. “Although there have been cases of coinfection, these have not been what was expected and have been a small number. Of course, where there has been co-infection, the affected people have had more days of hospital stay, and a greater severity with COVID-19 ”, he clarifies.
Given that we do not know how the SARS-CoV 2 virus is going to behave this year with the population, as we do not know if it will continue to be the fundamental virus, the one that occupies the ecological niche, as we are facing an unknown situation in their opinion. The best way to prevent it is to get vaccinated against the flu.
“This year, more than ever, the flu vaccine is necessary given that the vast majority of the population will be more unprotected, or the influenza virus will be found with a population that is immunologically more unprotected against it, and that last year the virus did not circulate. Therefore, that is why it is also convenient to get vaccinated ”, he adds.
DOES THE FLU VACCINE PROTECT AGAINST COVID AND VICEVERSE?
Another point that Dr. Redondo Margüello highlights is that COVID and influenza are viral respiratory infections caused by different viruses, and therefore, that they require a different therapeutic approach. “That is, you have to be vaccinated independently to be protected from each disease,” he adds.
It is true, as he emphasizes, that observational studies have shown that the population vaccinated with influenza is less likely to contract influenza. COVID-19, or what is more common, to develop a COVID infection in the most serious forms.
“The immune response to a vaccination consists of two parts, the innate immune response and the specific immune response. The flu vaccine would improve that part of the innate immune response that would help so that if you are vaccinated against the flu and contract a SARS-CoV-2, the first response of your body against COVID is better, and therefore, Even if you develop the disease, it can be less complicated in principle than a person who was not vaccinated against the flu ”, explains the member of Semergen.
Why is this year being recommended to young children, who do not have the vaccine against COVID, that they get vaccinated against the flu? In this regard, the head of her vaccine group recalls that since 2012 the WHO and later the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recommends vaccination for young children and this year the Spanish Association of Pediatrics also for children between 6 and 59 months of age. On the other hand, the Spanish Public Health Commission has just approved expanding vaccination against COVID-19 in our country to children between five and 11 years old.
HOW CAN WE PREVENT THE FLU?
Ultimately, the head of the Vaccines area of the Semergen Infectious, Migrant, Vaccines and Preventive Activities working group recalls how hygiene and respiratory measures, that is, the use of masks, frequent hand washing, or distancing helps a lot to prevent viral infections and other respiratory infections.
“It is going to be very difficult that with the recovery of the habitual life the social distancing is maintained above all. Probably the most severe months of transmission of the influenza virus are from the end of December to the end of February ”, he adds.
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