Flu Shots in the Time of CoronaVirus
by Francesco Gesualdo, Pediatrician
It’s time to restart. A challenging autumn and winter await us, but we have many tools in our hands to face the coming months by minimizing risks and difficulties.
One of the main tools will be the flu shot, which is more important than ever this year. Here is some information.
- As the coronavirus vaccine is pending, which we hope will be available at the end of this year or early next, the flu vaccine helps to reduce the likelihood of getting sick in general. In other words, thanks to the flu vaccine we can reduce the “disease burden” with which we will be confronted: we will be protected from one of the various viruses that circulate this season.
- A “side effect” of the vaccine is that the doctor who evaluates a sick person will have one less disease to take into account when he or she has to understand if the infection is from coronavirus or from other viruses.
- The Lazio Region has also recommended vaccination for children aged between 6 months and 6 years: both to protect them directly as well as to indirectly protect the elderly. In fact, various research has allowed us to understand that by reducing the circulation of the influenza virus in children, even the elderly get sick less often. We do not yet know if the coronavirus vaccine will also have this effect (at the moment, in fact, there is still not enough clarity on the epidemiological role of children and their ability to transmit the virus).
- It is a vaccine that is not extraordinarily effective, but it is very safe. Fever after vaccination is also an infrequent occurrence.
Until a few days ago it was unclear whether it would be possible to carry out the vaccines privately, by purchasing them at a pharmacy – it seemed that only ASL pediatricians, and general practitioners and centers would have flu vaccines available for this season.
Recently though, we have understood with certainty that pharmacies will have doses of the flu vaccine available (for the moment in limited quantities).
It is still unclear when the vaccines will be available.
For whom is the vaccine recommended?
The flu vaccine is recommended for the entire population in various countries around the world, including the United States.
In Italy – and, more specifically, in the Lazio Region – it is recommended instead in specific categories, in particular:
- children between 6 months and 6 years
- children and adults with a chronic pathology
- people over the age of 65
- pregnant women
- health workers
- firefighters and police
- family members of children under the age of 6
Regardless of the categories, all people can get the vaccine if they want to. Only children under 6 months cannot take it.
People who belong to the categories listed above have the right to be vaccinated free of charge by their ASL family pediatrician, their general practitioner or the ASL vaccination center. Many companies give the vaccine to their employees for free.
For those wishing to have the vaccine administered privately, Drs. Gesualdo, Antonielli and d’Ambrosio will offer this service in their offices. As always, you will need to bring your own vaccine. Please remember that the vaccine must be kept in the refrigerator and transported in a thermal bag.
While waiting for the flu vaccine to be available, Dr. Gesualdo recommends that you book Vaxigrip Tetra at your trusted pharmacy as soon as possible. We don’t know how many doses will be available at the pharmacies, so it’s good to plan ahead.
Children under 9 years of age who are getting the vaccine for the first time need two doses. In this case, he recommends that you book two directly.
Remember that babies under 6 months of age cannot get the vaccine.
Stay safe and keep washing your hands!
