The vaccination campaign against influenza in the Region of Murcia will begin next Tuesday, 2 November, and its aim is to immunise people at greater risk of complications, if they suffer from it, as well as those who can transmit the disease to those at high risk of complications.
The Regional Minister of Health, Juan José Pedreño, presented the details of the campaign this Friday, for which 227 vaccination points have been set up and which is entitled ‘I vaccinate because I love myself. And because I love you’, according to sources from the regional government in a press release.
For this season, the Regional Ministry of Health has acquired 358,000 doses. The over-70 age group born in 1951 or before will be the first to be vaccinated against influenza and, in addition, they will be administered the third booster dose against the coronavirus. This Pfizer or Moderna dose will be administered six months later and together with the anti-flu vaccine in health centres, clinics and other facilities set up for this purpose, such as wards.
In addition to this group, healthcare workers, socio-healthcare workers, trainees and nursing home users are also called upon to get vaccinated against the flu from 2 November.
From 15 November, vaccination will be open to people over 65 years of age, pregnant women, essential personnel, chronically ill people or those with pathologies at risk and home carers or those living with people at risk or elderly people. People in non-priority groups will be able to get vaccinated from 13 December.
People who want to be vaccinated and are included in the groups where it is indicated at that time can apply online through the appointment form, on the Patient Portal, or by telephone at their health centre.
IMPORTANCE OF GETTING VACCINATED AGAINST THE FLU
Pedreño stressed that “this season, when there may be a circulation of the flu virus and Covid-19, and given that both can cause complications in the same population groups, it is particularly important to get vaccinated against the flu to reduce the individual risk of suffering from one of these diseases and also help to avoid a possible overload on the healthcare system”. He recalled that “the proper use of the mask is an effective measure to prevent contagion and as a complement to vaccination”.
In addition, people who turn 60 in 2021 – born in 1961 – or older people who have not been vaccinated before can be vaccinated against pneumococcus together with the flu vaccine.
People who turned 60 in 2016 and received the pneumococcal vaccination will turn 65 this year, so they will be entitled to a booster dose that will not have to be repeated in the future. To this end, the Health Department has purchased 30,000 doses of pneumococcal vaccine, 5,000 more than last year, which will be administered at the same time as the flu vaccine.
The total cost of this flu and pneumococcal vaccination campaign is 2,969,576 euros.