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Is it possible to catch the flu from the flu shot itself? Who took the vaccine last year must be vaccinated again?
These doubts continue to circulate after the Ministry of Health has completed its vaccination campaign without meeting the targets: 54 million Brazilians were expected to be vaccinated, but 6.8 pregnant women and children of under six were the least protected groups.
The problem is that influenza cases in this year are already more than doubled compared to 2017: from January to June 2018, 3,558 cases were recorded, with 608 deaths, according to the ministry.
Of the deaths recorded this year, the majority are elderly, followed by people with cardiovascular and diabetic diseases. In other words, in 74% of deaths due to the influenza virus, infected persons had at least one risk factor
Vaccines are still available in some health centers and in the private network.
Who is a priority?
The Ministry of Health provides doses of the vaccine in the SUS To help those who still doubt vaccination, BBC News Brazil hears the authorities on the subject and answers the main questions on the subject. for priority groups, who have an badociated risk factor when they become ill. These groups are: children from six months to five years old; adults from 60 years old; patients with chronic pulmonary, cardiac or metabolic diseases and with changes in immunity; pregnant women; indigenous peoples; health professionals; By 2018, from the end of the campaign, children aged 5 to 9 and adults aged 50 to 59 who will be looking for health posts with doses in stock will have priority to be vaccinated
every year?
To be protected at all times, it is necessary to vaccinate every year. Two reasons explain this: the duration of vaccine immunization – 10 to 12 months – and mutations of the influenza virus.
"The vaccine is made with the viruses that circulated the most the year before.The World Health Organization, which transmits this information to the laboratories producing the vaccine, so that the composition changes from Year after year, and it is necessary to vaccinate every year, "says the coordinator of the National Immunization Program of the Ministry of Health, Carla
" This is not recommended for children under the age of six months, people with severe allergy to the egg "
warns the doctor and professor of the medical school of the University of São Paulo, João Renato Rebello Pinho.
The vaccine is not recommended for egg allergy because its production is important. "There is a lot of controversy in the scientific world that these traits (eggs) are either not able to cause an allergy, but the correct procedure is to talk to the doctor. because allergies should be badyzed on a case-by-case basis, "says researcher Butantan Institute Soria Attie Calil Jorge
In addition to egg allergy, there is also a red alert to people Immunocompromised, that is,
"Patients who are taking immunosuppressive drugs or who are suffering from a disease causing immunosuppression, such as AIDS, should also consult a physician to determine if they whether or not to take the influenza vaccine. "
Can I die from the flu vaccine?
Domingues points out that it is common during the campaign to report that the vaccine may be badociated with epileptic seizures, physical sequelae and even death.
"There is no record of such an event in people who have immunized against the flu virus, and again, the argument is valid: it is safe. is a very safe vaccine because it is made from inactivated viruses, "says the coordinator of the Ministry of Health.] The researcher from the Butantan Institute explains that it is possible to see injection site pain and mild skin irritation.
"In rare cases, low fever has been reported, but in none of these cases is it necessary for the person to only be careful not to confuse the symptoms with any other disease that already exists in the body, "says Jorge.
" I caught the flu because of the vaccine: myth or truth?] Domingues explains that there are several myths circulating in Brazil during the vaccination campaign. t with an inactivated virus, that is, a killed virus, so it's not possible to catch the flu in the first place, "he said.
But there are explanations for the existence of this myth: according to Pinho, the flu vaccine does not protect against a simple cold.
"There are at least 20 different agents that some people can take the vaccine and, coincidentally, have an image very similar to the flu, but what is actually is just cold," says Pine.
" The vaccine is produced from the viruses most likely to appear during the period. vaccination. o, a person may be infected with an influenza virus that is not contained in the vaccine that year.
"As the flu virus changes every year from year to year, it is possible for the flu to become infected even if it is vaccinated," says Jorge. Although it is still the influenza virus that causes the flu, it is not always the same type of virus. They can undergo changes that make the symptoms of an infected person stronger in different seasons, "says the researcher.
I do not belong to groups at risk. Brazilians – with the exception of the exceptions – take the vaccine because the virus is dissipated in the air, which makes it very contagious. According to Domingues, "there are not enough doses for the entire population of Brazil," says Domingues, "but there are enough vaccines."
to meet all the groups recommended by the Ministry of Health ", explains the coordinator.
The H1N1 virus in 2018
The most circulating influenza virus in one year may be different from the highest circulating virus the year before.
"It's because the Influenza virus does not have a single type, plus it mutates and we have, in fact, a population of influenza virus that circulates each year," explains Jorge
In 2017, the most circulating virus was H3N2
According to the Ministry of Health, all types of Influenza virus are worrying and also fatal.
Domingues guarantees that despite 608 deaths already confirmed , an H1N1 flu outbreak does not occur this year, but the population must be vaccinated to prevent this from happening.
"The virus is among us and can infect anyone who is not immune, especially children under 5, pregnant women and the elderly. "
Where does the flu come from?
The word flu, of Italian origin, was used in the 18th and 19th centuries to describe various diseases … the Spanish flu pandemic, the word It's spread all over the world and has come to be used to describe the virus that causes the flu.In contrast to a cold, flu-like conditions can turn into very serious health conditions.
& c. This is what happened 100 years ago with the Spanish flu.Initiated in the United States, this flu quickly spread in other countries and, during the first months of its transmission , its virus killed more people than the conflicts of the First World War
Spanish flu Thanks to the vaccines developed at the time and to the campaigns of immunization of the population, it was contained in the world .
As a virus capable of many mutations, the cause of the Spanish flu is no longer the same as today. Despite the introduction of vaccines into public health in the early 20th century, the circulation of a virus never reached the level of pandemic seen in 1918 "
" But it's not enough of the existence of vaccines, the population needs to be immunized, "warns Domingues.
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