From September 29 this year to last Sunday, more people in Portugal received a flu vaccine than two people received a Covid-19 vaccine in the same period. And the gap is more than 98,000.
Data on seasonal vaccination in the country, published by the Directorate General of Health (DGS) in the latest weekly report on the third day, showed that during the period, 556,503 people were vaccinated against influenza (427,194 people were vaccinated in pharmacies and hospitals ). 129,306 people (non-SNS) – and 457,911 people fighting covid-19 (341,518 in pharmacies, 116,393 non-SNS). This means more than 98,592 people have received a flu vaccine rather than a covid-19 vaccine.
Epidemiologist Manuel Camo Gomez began to emphasize to the public that “Nonetheless, the vaccine against covid-19 is developing faster than anyone expected.” Last year, vaccination against covid-19 “Snacks were also included later.” “(For that matter, we’re comparing the same number of days to this point in 2022) We’ve already vaccinated a third or less of the number of people we’ve vaccinated this year. ” Experts believe this has to do with “having the vaccine in pharmacies, which allows us to be closer to people and more diverse.”
When asked what could be the reason for the difference in the number of people vaccinated against influenza and covid-19, Manuel Carmo Gomes noted that in his opinion, vaccination against the flu is “a A speculative snack.” No more “Rotina,” except for “a large portion of the general population,” which includes “the virus changes every year and the vaccine adapts to the virus.” Além disso, “because people have no experience of adverse reactions to these vaccines and therefore feel uncomfortable”.
Vacinava adapts to new variants
Yes, covid-19 is caused by ““A new virus” and people may no longer have the “habit” of seasonal vaccinations. This is coupled with the “misconception that a vaccine for covid-19 is not just the same”. Epidemiologists therefore warn that “this is not the case” and that “this vaccine is adapted to subvariants of the virus currently circulating”, including XBB.1.9 (including the subvariant EG.5 derived from the previous virus) ) and XBB.1.16, as well as other direct descending sub-variants of these.
The covid-19 vaccine to be administered in Portugal is based on the XBB.1.5 subvariant (also known as the “Kraken variant”) and is effective because it is not in the country.
Manuel Camo Gomez still calls SARS-CoV-2 “very stupid.” He emphasized that at this moment, “the viruses that are spreading are just like humans.” E Crescenta: “A new vaccine adapts to its new variant, and as humans sometimes we don’t know what it is.”
You may still feel uncomfortable getting both vaccines (for influenza and Covid-19) at the same time. In these cases, experts assure that “there is no safety reason not to take dua on the same day” – this is because “these are not live vaccines” but are made from microbial particles.
Clinical trials were conducted on people who received the flu vaccine and covid-19 vaccine at the same time, as well as others who received the vaccine at intervals. “As far as the immune response is concerned, the results are the same. So there’s not much difference in the immune system response if you take them at the same time or two weeks apart,” Carmo Gomes said.
Luís Graça, coordinator of the Technical Committee on Covid-19 Vaccination, in turn noted that the two vaccines have different therapeutic indications and that the Covid-19 vaccine is not recommended for people who have recently been infected with SARS. CoV-2, which may also explain why so many people are getting vaccinated against flu and covid-19.
The epidemiologist warned that “covid-19 has arrived” and that the SARS-CoV-2 virus “is spreading vigorously and is worse than the flu.” “We are dying from Covid-19 every day,” he said, countering that “the flu is not going to kill us now.”
To understand the risk, here’s a piece of paper: “It is known that influenza starts in November or December and is associated with pneumonia and death. But there is also covid-19.” So Carmo Gomes advises people to “do not get vaccinated” Prevent covid-19.