Changes to the SUS vaccination calendar in the north of the country have raised questions about the need for immunization at this time of year. The application of anti-influenza vaccines or influenza viruses takes into account the seasons of the virus, which spread more strongly at different times depending on the climate of each region. Chuva and umidade help with proliferation, but the heat doesn’t interfere with anything.
To clarify the main doubts about not getting vaccinated, Forha We have two experts on this issue: Renato Kfouri, infectious disease expert and vice-president of the Brazilian Society of Immunology (SBIm), and Letusa Albrecht, biologist and public health researcher at Fiocruz Paraná.
Can I get a flu shot?
Yes, but it is not necessary this year or in northern Brazil. This is because this is where influenza spreads more intensely during this period.
Does heat interfere with viral proliferation?
The increase in flu cases is not related to humidity or weather, as crowding increases during this period.
What vaccinations should I get now?
All residents of the northern regions (Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Pará, Rondonia, Roraima and Tocantins), even those who were taken away in April. and all residents of other states who have not received the Nenhuma flu vaccine in 2023.
What are its taboos?
It is rare for babies under six months of age to have a serious reaction to the last dose of medicine. In this case, a consultation with a doctor is required for evaluation.
Why hasn’t the holiday calendar been revised for the rest of Brazil?
These take into account periods when the virus was most spread and when each region registered the highest number of cases. You won’t see that, they just increase in the north.
Should children, children or people with comorbidities take it now?
The instructions are the same for everyone: You should only take it if it’s north now, or you shouldn’t receive any doses in 2023.
What are you eating now, and do you need to eat again in April?
Residents of the Northern Territory will not be able to be vaccinated again until November 2024. Residents in other areas will receive a dose in April regardless of whether they have been vaccinated now.
What courses did I take in the first semester of 2023, and can I take them again?
Pode, but the vaccine is only suitable during periods of high transmission of the virus, which differs in each region. So, not being in the north of the country, it is not worth getting vaccinated now – as it can only be done in private clinics.
Or does heating increase the chance of a vaccine reaction?
No, these reactions do not react to the vaccinia in the body and are not affected by the weather.
Is vaccination different from vaccination in winter?
However, both have the same ingredients and are trivalent, meaning they protect against three different strains of the flu virus.
When is the best time to get the flu shot?
During the national campaign, this content preceded viral spreads in each region.
Can I get vaccinated if I get the flu?
No, there are only three days until the box arrives.
Can the vaccine cause the flu?
No, it is an inactivated virus so the body’s defense cells recognize it as an invader and take possession of it, thus fighting it.
Can I get the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time?
Yes, it can be used with any other vaccine in the immunization schedule.