Who needs to get the flu vaccine?

September 29, 2023 – 10:21 am Updated on 09/29/2023 – 10:21h

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The flu vaccine campaign will begin in October. In the new season, willing citizens can go to the medical center to make an appointment to receive vaccination. Although the start time of the campaign differs in each autonomous community, we first recommend that you check the start date in each case, such as the start date of the Madrid flu vaccine campaign. But who needs a flu shot? Is it mandatory? Under what circumstances is it recommended?

Is it necessary to get a flu vaccine?

The first thing to remember is that getting a flu shot is not mandatory.. Not the flu or any other vaccine, since in Spain vaccines are only recommended, not mandatory. Therefore, the information detailed in this guide is about risk groups for whom vaccination is recommended to protect them.

People who need a flu vaccine

Specifically, the National Interregional Committee on Health Systems has prepared a list of persons recommended to receive influenza vaccination during the 2023-2024 season as follows:

• Population of children aged 6 to 59 months.
• People between the ages of 5 and 59 may be at higher risk for complications from the flu.
• Due to the possible development of Reye’s syndrome after influenza, citizens aged 5 to 18 years receive long-term treatment with acetylsalicylic acid.
• smoker
• Students doing internships at the Center for Health and Social Care
• Persons who have direct occupational contact with animals or their secretions in poultry, pig or mink farms or farms, or with wild fauna (birds, wild boars or mustelids), such as ranchers, veterinarians, farm workers, hunters, ornithologists home, environmental protection personnel, security personnel. The purpose of zoos, etc. is to reduce
• For patients with a history of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, if one dose of influenza vaccine was administered before the 6th month after transplantation, it is recommended that the second dose be administered 4 weeks later.
• For patients with a history of solid organ transplantation, only one dose per year is recommended.

High-risk groups who need flu vaccine

In addition to the above, the technical group of the Interregional Committee on National Health Systems recommends vaccination for the following groups they consider at risk:

1. People aged 65 or above. Special attention will be paid to those living in closed institutions.

2. People under 65 are at high risk for flu complications:

• Children (over 6 months) and adults with chronic cardiovascular disease (excluding isolated arterial hypertension) or pulmonary disease, including: bronchopulmonary dysplasia, cystic fibrosis, and asthma.
• Children (6 months and older) and adults with: metabolic disease, including diabetes, morbid obesity, renal failure, hemoglobinopathies and anemia, asplenia, chronic liver disease, severe neuromuscular disease, or immunosuppression, including those caused by HIV infection or drugs or diseases in the recipient Transplants, cancer, cochlear implants, conditions causing cognitive impairment: Down syndrome, dementia, etc. Within this group, special attention will be given to those who require regular medical follow-up or who have been hospitalized in the past year.
• Residents of any age (6 months and older) living in closed institutions with chronic medical conditions.
• Children and adolescents 6 months to 18 years of age may require long-term treatment with acetylsalicylic acid due to the possibility of Reye’s syndrome following influenza.
• Pregnant women in any trimester of pregnancy.

3. Can spread the flu to people who are at high risk for complications:

• Staff at primary and specialist health centers and public and private hospitals. Particular emphasis will be placed on professionals who care for patients in certain high-risk groups mentioned above.
• People who work in elderly facilities or chronic care centers for occupational reasons, especially those who have ongoing contact with vulnerable populations.
• People who provide home care to high-risk or elderly patients.
• People living at home, including children over 6 months old, and others who belong to certain high-risk groups due to special clinical conditions (see point 2).

4. Other groups recommended for vaccination:

• Personnel engaged in essential public services, with special attention to the following subgroups:
• National security forces and agencies with national, regional or local dependencies.
• Firemen.
• Civil Protective Services.
• People working in health emergency services.
• Judicial resolutions passed by staff of penitentiary institutions and other detention centers.

Influenza vaccine: Recommended for people over 65 years old, high-risk groups and health care workers

The Department of Health, Social Policy and Equality recommends that over-65s and other high-risk groups get the flu vaccine to prevent the disease and avoid more serious complications. Flu treatment is based on taking certain steps to relieve flu symptoms:

• Emphasis on rest
• Drink lots of water and juice.
• Take fever-reducing medications (as long as there are no contraindications).

In view of the fact that various autonomous regions have started general influenza vaccination campaigns from September 15 to October 15, the Ministry of Health recalled that influenza is an acute respiratory disease caused by a virus, so antibiotics are ineffective and the use of antibiotics may lead to drug resistance . drug.

Health authorities believe it is very important that during the course of the flu, people stay home as much as possible and receive necessary treatment to prevent the spread to others. In the meantime, while taking antibiotics without a prescription, talk to your doctor if you have any questions or if your condition worsens.

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