The first phase of the seasonal influenza vaccination started today across the country. Six high-risk groups will be receiving the vaccination in this phase. While the remaining population will be vaccinated in November in the second phase.
The six high-risk groups include health professionals, pregnant women, children aged between six to 24 months, the elderly population aged above 65 years, individuals with chronic medical conditions and active frontline workers serving in the high-risk areas.
With the onset of the flu season, the vaccine is expected to prevent flu whereby it helps in reducing other related diseases as well.
“Through the influenza vaccine which we are providing, it will prevent seasonal flu. And seasonal flu has a tendency to lead to complications like pneumonia which leads to deaths in old and young aged people. And it also prevents similar episodes in the co-morbid conditions and pregnant women,” said Dr Gosar Pemba, the Medical Superintendent at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital.
The vaccine will also be a buffer for COVID-19 test since people visiting flu clinics with flu-like symptoms is expected to decrease. For now, all flu clinics across the country test people visiting the flu clinics irrespective of symptoms or travel history.
The vaccine is available from all the health centres. The vaccination for the high-risk population was launched in November last year.
Tshering Zam
