DISTRIBUTION OF FLU VACCINES TO START - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

 Filenews 6 October 2020 - by Marilena Panagi

On Monday 12 October, the distribution of influenza vaccines to the personal doctors and pediatricians of the General Health System is expected to begin. Today, the first batch of some 135,000 vaccines ordered through different procedures by the Ministry of Health is expected to be in the pharmaceutical warehouses and then, through the procedures of the Health Insurance Agency, will be channeled to doctors, who must prioritize the needs of their beneficiaries and start vaccinations on a first-come, first-served basis and depending on the magnitude of the risk their patients are at.

At the same time, the Ministry of Health has also proceeded with its planning with regard to the vaccination of people belonging to specific groups of the population with the pneumococcal vaccine, which is also considered particularly important given the expected coexistence of the coronavirus with other seasonal infections (in addition to influenza).

As far as influenza vaccines are concerned, the first batch includes, as we are informed, 32,500 vaccines and most of it will be channeled to personal doctors for adults. Priority will be given to elderly people with underlying diseases and chronic patients, followed by subsequent batches of vaccines expected to arrive in Cyprus in instalments from 15 October to 30 November, including quantities to meet the needs of children up to 15 years of age, with priority again given to children with chronic health problems.

A list of vulnerable and other groups of the population considered to be high-risk has already been drawn up for the convenience of doctors. However, for the time being, personal doctors and pediatricians have not yet been asked to record their needs and submit their requests for the number of vaccines they will need. This process should be considered certain to begin in the next few days, since yesterday at the Ministry of Health a meeting was held during which it was expected that both the programming and the way in which vaccines will be distributed by the Health Insurance Agency to doctors to vaccinate the beneficiaries of the GHS will be finalised.

Scientists, for their part, also stressed yesterday the need to vaccinate people belonging to high-risk groups, reiterating that co-infection and the coexistence of influenza, other respiratory and coronavirus infections will endanger both individuals themselves and the country's system in general.

On standby is the Makarios Hospital, which every year receives an increased number of children who are affected by the flu and need hospitalization. This year, as the director of the Paediatric Department, Abraham Elias, said in a statement, it is important, "to vaccinate children for influenza so that they are protected and that we can if necessary hospitalize children who may have problems due to the crown virus". Children, he stressed, "may not be seriously ill with the coronavirus but we must try to avoid having children with co-infection as much as possible."

By appointment with a personal doctor or pediatrician

Relevant announcements and instructions to citizens are expected to be issued by the Health Insurance Agency very soon, as this year is considered to be particularly critical.

The priority list prepared by the Ministry of Health and the OSU includes, among others, all persons over 65 years of age as well as children from 6 months to 15 years of age. However, it is expected that citizens will also be invited by the competent authorities to cooperate with their personal doctor or pediatrician, so that vaccinations can be started by adults and children who have other health problems (beyond age).

Recommendations and guidance are expected to be given to personal doctors and paediatricians, who will be asked to rank their beneficiaries in the right order of priority, since the aim is to vaccinate citizens on the basis of the magnitude of the risk they are at. That is why citizens should contact their personal doctor and comply with his instructions.

Persons entitled to free vaccination through the GHS:

1. Adult persons over 65 years of age.

2. Children older than six months and up to 15 years of age and other adults with one or more aggravating factors, chronic diseases such as:

• Asthma or other chronic lung diseases.
• Heart disease with severe hemodynamic disorders (congenital heart disease, valvular diseases, congestive heart failure, coronary and/or hypertensive heart disease, arrhythmias).
• Immunosuppression (organ transplantation, sickle cell disease and other serious haemoglobin diseases).
• Diabetes mellitus or other metabolic disease.
• Morbid obesity.
• Chronic nephropathy and liver disease.

3. Neuromuscular or neurological diseases.

4. Pregnant women regardless of gestational age, lactating, lactating.

5. Children and adults taking aspirin long-term for the potential risk of Reye syndrome after flu.

Also, as a precautionary measure, vaccination is recommended for:

• Persons in close contact with children under 6 months of age or caring for people with an underlying disease who are at risk of complications from influenza.
• Children between 6 months and 15 years old.
• Closed populations, such as staff and internal students of schools, military and police schools, inmates and staff of institutions, etc.
• Workers in health service areas.
• Professionals such as veterinarians, poultry farmers, pig farmers, slaughterers and generally people who come into systematic contact with poultry.

Only in Pneumococcal Vaccination Centers

The Ministry of Health announced yesterday its plan to vaccinate people belonging to specific groups of the population with the pneumococcal vaccine.

High-risk groups include:

• All persons 65 years of age and older.
• Immunosuppressed individuals: People with anatomical or functional asplenaia (e.g. sickle cell anemia, Mediterranean anaemia, etc.).
• Symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with HIV infection, leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma, generalized malignancy, chronic kidney failure, nephrotic syndrome.
• Conditions associated with immunosuppression, organ and bone marrow transplantation, as well as people receiving immunosuppressive therapy and long-term administration of corticosteroids.
• People of all ages suffering from chronic diseases such as cardiovascular problems, lung disease (bronchial asthma treated with high doses of corticosteroids, respiratory failure, etc.), diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, cirrhosis of the liver, people with cochlear implants, leakage of cerebrospinal fluid due to congenital abnormality, skull fracture or neurosurgery.

Adult vaccination with the 23-strong polysaccharic vaccine is also recommended in people over 65 years of age and immunosuppressed individuals.

Pneumococcal vaccines will only be administered free of charge to the Vaccination Centers of the Ministry of Health, after arranging an appointment.