Flu pandemic causes school and work absences: Call to get vaccinated

Vaccination coverage has declined in Argentina and the United States in recent years, necessitating a review of strategies. At a meeting in 2023, experts proposed improvements, highlighting the need for a quadrivalent vaccine: recommended by the World Health Organization and the scientific community as a highly effective option against influenza viruses circulating in our communities. Formulated to promote an optimal immune response, the vaccine provides broad, reliable protection against Type A and Type B viruses that cause severe respiratory illness.

Influenza vaccine was included in Argentina’s CNV strategy in 2011, a strategy aimed at reducing complications, hospitalizations, deaths and sequelae of influenza virus infection in high-risk groups. When implemented promptly, this is an important preventive measure that can minimize the impact of influenza, which can cause significant absenteeism, school absences, and lost productivity in addition to visits to clinics, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and urgent cares. Overwhelmed during periods of highest disease activity. Trivalent vaccines contain only one of the two B virus lineages, so there may be a greater or lesser mismatch between the B virus lineages in circulation and the vaccine lineages included. In Argentina, we have quadrivalent vaccines provided by the private sector, so it is necessary to seek coordination between the public and private sectors, as well as the digitization of records to facilitate vaccine tracking.

At the same time, it is also very important to expand the number of people vaccinated against influenza, because children play a fundamental role in influenza epidemiology, are the transmission vector of influenza viruses, are the reservoir and source of transmission of viruses in the community, and are responsible for the high incidence of influenza. Infections in school age groups. Therefore, it is also critical to include other groups such as teaching and non-teaching staff due to the risk of exposure.

In our country, we face a complex situation with low coverage of scheduled vaccines, especially for pediatric influenza.

Faced with the difficult situation of unsatisfactory vaccination coverage for all vaccines in the vaccination plan at all stages of life, especially influenza vaccine, it is recommended that extending the age of children’s influenza vaccination to 5 years old will be key. , backed by scientific advice, can benefit individuals and groups in this way.

In conclusion, the need to increase vaccine coverage through coordinated action, training and effective communication is highlighted, and the key role of the quadrivalent vaccine in this strategy is emphasized.

At Farmacia La Mutual in Tandil (Avenida Colón 1359) you can find the quadrivalent vaccine that protects against four strains of the virus. Remember, prevention is the best medicine.