Filenews 30 November 2022
Details through Q&A on the coexistence of influenza - coronavirus, released by the Ministry of Health.
Specifically:
What is flu and why is it a cause for concern?
Influenza is an acute respiratory disease caused by influenza viruses and easily transmitted from one person to another. It mainly affects the upper respiratory tract and in some cases the lungs. Influenza can cause from mild to very serious illness. It is reported that about 3-5 million people worldwide are seriously ill with influenza and a significant number, 650,000 died from the disease each year. About 70,000 of these deaths occur in the WHO European Region.
Should we be particularly worried about the flu this year?
There is concern for this year and we are expected to have an increase in the transmission of respiratory viruses, mainly due to the relaxation of basic measures for the prevention and transmission of various viruses, due to the coexistence of influenza with COVID-19 as well as due to the data observed during the winter in the southern hemisphere (high rates of influenza, May- June 2022).
It is important to know that we are not yet finished with the COVID-19 pandemic and the possibility of serious illness from both COVID-19 and influenza is taken into account.
What are the differences between COVID-19 and influenza? How can I recognize if I have the flu or COVID-19? What should I do if I have symptoms?
Both viruses are characterized by high infectivity and cause respiratory tract infection. In addition, they show the same symptomatology (such as fever, cough, shortness of breath). Due to the difficulty of separating the two diseases, in the presence of symptoms, it is recommended to limit you to reduce the risk of spreading the infection, especially to vulnerable people.
Who should get the flu vaccine?
The WHO recommends influenza vaccination to people from the following 4 priority groups:
- Health care workers:Healthcare workers are inevitably exposed to the flu virus through their work, so they should be protected not to catch it themselves but also not to spread the virus to their patients. Vaccination reduces the risk of transmitting the virus to patients, who are more vulnerable to serious illness. Healthcare professionals are vital to tackling COVID-19 and as such, they need to be healthy at work to protect patients, be able to work and stay at work themselves, and not get sick from the flu.
- Elderly people over 65 years of age:The immune system weakens with age and becomes prone to infections including influenza. Therefore, people over the age of 65 who are infected with the influenza virus are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill and leading to hospitalization and possibly death.
- Pregnant women:Pregnant women are more prone to serious illness with influenza and this can have a negative effect on the fetus. Vaccination protects both the pregnant woman and the newborn.
- Vulnerable groups:Influenza can be very severe in people who have underlying diseases and comorbidities such as diabetes, asthma and heart disease. Influenza infection can worsen the general condition of these people and lead to hospitalization and possibly death.
- Children under 5 years of age:They are at high risk of developing serious illness or complications, such as hospitalization and more rarely death. Vaccination provides protection to children and at the same time protects the people they associate with, such as grandmothers, grandparents and other vulnerable groups.
- People living in shelters and closed facilities such as prisons, refugee camps and nursing homes:Vaccination can limit the rapid spread of the flu virus in these large groups.
It is important to note that many people who are at risk of serious illness or death due to the flu virus are also at high risk of serious illness with COVID-19.
TheWHO recommends that the vulnerable population groups mentioned above be vaccinated against influenza and COVID-19 this autumn and winter.
What strains of the flu virus does the vaccine protect against?
There are 2 main types of influenza virus – influenza A and influenza B – that lead to annual flu epidemics, often referred to as seasonal flu. In Europe, we use both trivalents to protect against 3 strains of influenza and quadrivalent vaccines to protect against 4 strains, covering both types of influenza.
How do I know that the flu vaccine is safe and will be effective?
The flu vaccine is the best prevention measure against the flu virus as it protects us from the occurrence of serious complications and even death.
Influenza vaccines have been in use for over 60 years and have been safely administered to millions of people around the world.
Every year, national medicines committees carefully review each flu vaccine before a marketing authorisation is given, and systems are in place to monitor and investigate reports of adverse side effects after vaccination. Although it is rare for unwanted side effects to occur from the administration of the vaccine, however, if this happens, they are not serious. In order to provide an optimal level of protection, influenza vaccines are updated annually based on monitoring seasonal influenza activity in other hemispheres. How effective the vaccines are depends on a number of factors, including age, current health status, and the strains of the virus circulating during the winter season.
Is there a chance of catching flu from vaccination?
No, there is no such possibility. The flu vaccine contains 3 different types of flu which are not alive. With the administration of the vaccine, our body produces antibodies, which protect us (activated and kill it) in case of infection by the virus.
Does vaccination against COVID-19 offer any protection against influenza? And vice versa, does the flu vaccine offer me any protection against COVID-19?
No, viruses are different, and different vaccines need to be administered.
Does the WHO recommend that a vaccine against influenza andCOVID-19 be administered simultaneously?
The WHO recommends that countries administer the flu vaccine together with the COVID-19 vaccine – the so-called plus administration – so it is possible.
If I have COVID-19 is it safe to get the flu vaccine?
It is preferable to recover from COVID-19 and then have the flu vaccine vaccinated, to avoid confusion of symptoms.
If I have COVID-19, does that make me more prone to catching the flu or getting seriously ill?
Until recently there was no clear data to be able to say that when a person tests positive for the COVID-19 virus, they become more vulnerable to the flu.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic that prevailed, flu rates were low, so the above correlation was not observed.
However, if someone needs to be hospitalized due to COVID-19 and has a respiratory problem, then the risk of serious illness certainly increases if they subsequently get sick with the flu.
Are there cases when someone cannot be vaccinated with the flu vaccine?
Flu vaccines have been administered safely to millions of people for decades.
However, in some cases, the seasonal flu vaccine is not recommended or should be administered with particular caution.
Receiving the seasonal flu vaccine is not indicated for people with a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose or to any of the ingredients contained in the vaccine. People with known egg allergies can receive the flu vaccine, provided they are monitored for at least 15 minutes after administration.
What other measures can I take to protect myself and vulnerable population groups from infections this winter?
It is important to observe the necessary precautions to protect vulnerable groups of the population. Both COVID-19 and influenza are respiratory viruses and are transmitted in the same ways—mostly through inhalation of droplets by a person when coughing, sneezing, talking or breathing, or when viruses are transported through contact from contaminated surfaces. This means that the same measures we have had help us and help protect us from the flu as well. These measures include:
- Use of protective masks especially indoors, hospitals, closed structures, medical care facilities and public transport.
- Ensure good indoor ventilation (especially in crowded and public areas)
- Regular hand washing
- Mouth and nose cover when coughing with a tissue or with the elbow.
As we have seen, these measures can work.
What is the WHO doing to help countries prepare for the seasonal flu season?
The WHO works on influenza all year round. At the end of one season, the preparation for the next day begins. The preparation includes: surveillance and monitoring of the influenza virus, monitoring of the various strains isolated in clinical laboratories (recommendations every year for the synthesis of a new vaccine), surveillance of avian influenza (monitoring of severity and mortality of the disease).
How can countries control both influenza and COVID-19 during the upcoming seasonal flu season?
Whether it's the flu or COVID-19, vaccination is the best means we have to prevent illness and reduce the risk of serious complications and even death.
The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine continues to progress in most countries, including low- and middle-income countries. However, millions of people remain unvaccinated in many parts of the WHO European Region. It is important to find better ways to reach out to these people and increase vaccination coverage rates. It is also important to prioritise the administration of vaccine boosters to vulnerable people, including the elderly, the immunocompromised and people with underlying diseases.
In conclusion, the consistent implementation of the following five interventions can be useful to protect the population from COVID-19, but also the flu by:
- Increasing vaccination coverage in the general population
- Administration of a booster dose of the vaccine to vulnerable groups of the population.
- A booster dose of a vaccine against COVID-19 is recommended for people aged 12 years and over, provided that the period of five (5) months has elapsed since the last dose of the vaccine.
- Use of protective masks indoors and on public transport
- Good and adequate ventilation of crowded and public places, such as schools, bars and restaurants, offices and public transport
- Preparedness and proper management of cases that may require hospitalization due to serious illness.
The WHO European Region's autumn/winter strategy for COVID-19 as well as other respiratory viruses can help countries better prepare to respond to a potential increase in the number of COVID-19 and influenza cases.
