The flu vaccine is no longer available in the family doctor's office. Where can you pick it up, who benefits from vaccine for free and what are the steps

The cooling of the time has brought the season of viruses and influenza. Over 80,000 cases of respiratory infections-viruses, influenza and pneumonia-were registered in Romania in September 29-October 5, the first of this cold season in which the National Institute of Public Health monitored the number of illnesses.

Of these, 172 were cases of clinical influenza (diagnosed based on symptoms), and 3 cases of influenza influenza (with flu virus B).

If there is no vaccine in the case of viruses, for the flu there is a vaccine, and the doctors recommend it to both people considered vulnerable and to others.

Over 106,000 Romanians have already been vaccinated against influenza this fall, of which over 104,000 are part of the categories that benefit from compensated vaccine, according to centralized data in the National Vaccination Electronic Register (RENV).

The vaccine rises from the pharmacy and is given in the family doctor's office

This year, it is the third since the new procedure for influenza vaccination is in effect: the vaccine doses no longer reach the family doctors' offices, but are raised from the pharmacy – with a prescription for those who benefit from 50% or 100% compensated vaccine, without a prescription, but for a fee.

“Whoever wants to get vaccinated and benefit from the compensated vaccine must come to the family doctor or to a doctor of another specialty that can issue the grip vaccine prescription. It goes to the pharmacy and there the vaccine is issued. As a rule: we return with him to the family doctor to be administered,” explains, for the group, for the group Vaccinology of family doctors in Romania.

For those who do not benefit from compensated vaccine and buy it, a dose costs 70-80 lei in pharmacies.

In some pharmacies – few – the vaccine can be administered on the spot. Where this possibility does not exist, you must go with him to the family doctor. “In some pharmacies the vaccine can be administered on the spot, but they are very few at national level. It is important that the technique of administering the vaccine is correct, and the work is reported in the national electronic register, so that we have a clear image of the number of doses administered at national level,” adds Dr. Gindrovel.

The recipe for the influenza vaccine can be issued by both the family doctor and a specialist doctor (pediatrician, pneumologist, etc.). “In the protocol it is very clear that doctors from all specialties can issue the prescription.”

How do you know if you benefit from compensated vaccine

The Ministry of Health has established that the following categories of population, considered more exposed to develop severe forms of disease, receive the vaccine free of charge, based on the compensated prescription issued by the doctor:

• Children older than 6 months, up to 18 years.
• pregnant women.
• people between the ages of 18 and 65 suffering from one of the following chronic diseases: cardiovascular disease; respiratory diseases; kidney disease; liver disease; neurological diseases; metabolic diseases; oncological diseases; autoimmune diseases; congenital malformations; obesity; assplenia; people with HIV/AIDS infection; people in immunosuppressive therapy; people with transplant; people with congenital immunosuppression.
• people over the age of 65.
• specialized medical-sanitary and auxiliary personnel.

As in the last 2 years, there is a category that benefits from 50%compensated vaccine, with a prescription from the doctor: people between the ages of 45 and 65, without chronic diseases.

Doctors recommend that people who are not part of the categories considered vulnerable to vaccinate against influenza: in this way, they can protect themselves from illness and avoid transmitting the virus of people in the risk groups, who can develop more severe forms of disease, explains the doctor Gindrovel Dumitra.

When it is the best time to vaccinate. In children is different

The most suitable time for influenza vaccination, for adults, is the period October – November, explains the family doctor Gindrovel Dumitra.

In the case of children, however, things work differently: “people who have been vaccinated in other years, who are over 9 years old, need a single dose. Children who are vaccinated for the first time need two doses. And then, for two doses, in September it is appropriate to administer the first dose and in October the second dose, so that at the end of October.

Optimal protection is considered when 75% of people included in vulnerable groups, who receive the 100% compensated vaccine, are immunized.

How long after vaccine administration are you protected

Protection against influenza is not obtained immediately after the vaccine is administered. It takes about two weeks until the immune system manages to produce antibodies to provide protection, ”explains Dr. Gindrovel Dumitra.

And the protection offered by the flu vaccine lasts, on average, between 4 and 6 months. “After this time, the level of protection begins to decrease. For this reason, I said that it is not good to vaccinate at the beginning of September or even in August, for the two reasons: the level of protection must extend during the influenza season, and the influenza season evolves from December or the end of December,” says Dumitra.

In Romania, the largest number of flu cases are usually recorded in January and February. Sometimes the flu season extends even in March.