Merdeka.com – Influenza or flu is a disease that is often overlooked by many people. In fact, this disease should also be controlled, especially through vaccination.
Data from the WHO shows that in 2018 there were 3-5 million people worldwide affected by severe influenza infections every year. Of these, an estimated 290,000 to 650,000 people die per year.
Director of Prevention and Control of Directly Infectious Diseases (P2PML) Ministry of Health, Dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi, M. Epid said that influenza vaccination is still part of efforts to control and prevent morbidity and mortality of infectious disease patients.
“This is important if we look at vaccinations for adults, we must do it as a prevention effort, especially if we see COVID-19 as part of the influenza pandemic and mutating viruses,” he said some time ago as reported by Antara.
Infuenza is a contagious respiratory disease caused by the influenza virus. There are various types of influenza viruses namely seasonal influenza such as types A, B, C; then daily influenza for example avian influenza which is transmitted from animals to humans.
In addition, there is also pandemic influenza, which is a new subtype virus that circulates between humans. While humans do not have immunity to the new virus.
“Pandemics occur because groups of people who were originally immune naturally or as a result of vaccination but are not immune to new variants are therefore susceptible to infection and transmit to other people,” said Nadia.
Children are mainly known as influenza virus transmitters with the age of 5-9 years showing the highest infection rate. But when it comes to morbidity and mortality, it is more common in the elderly and certain risk groups.
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Flu Vaccine at least once a year
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends giving the seasonal flu vaccine once a year to individuals from six months of age to adulthood, especially for children and high-risk groups.
The flu vaccine is effective for one year, and for optimal protection it is necessary to repeat it once a year because the dominant flu virus strain or strain in circulation can change.
With vaccination, people will be protected from the flu, and if they still have the flu, the symptoms and consequences will not be as severe as those without the vaccine. Giving flu vaccine can reduce the risk of influenza and its complications in children by up to 60 percent.
Flu vaccination is also important for high-risk groups, such as the elderly and people with certain chronic medical conditions, to form antibodies against the influenza virus
Regarding the prevention of influenza, Nadia said, the Ministry of Health monitors and conducts surveillance or systematic and continuous collection, processing, analysis and interpretation of data as well as information dissemination.
The aim is to reduce morbidity and mortality due to influenza as well as increase awareness and preparedness to face a pandemic. On the other hand, the Ministry of Health is also trying to strengthen the management and control of risk factors for influenza.
“Preparedness to face an influenza pandemic in Indonesia. Detection, clinical management, behavior change, vaccination and strengthening the health system,” said Nadia.
In line with Nadia, the Chairman of the Central Board of the Indonesian Allergy Immunology Association, Prof. DR. dr. Iris Rengganis, SpPD-K-AI also believes that the promotion of vaccination coverage is still a priority strategy to efficiently control the pandemic and prevent seasonal flu.
“We emphasize the importance of influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Iris. [RWP]
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