At the beginning of the vaccination campaign against the flu 47 thousand doses – Chronicle

EMPOLI

It is from this week that the influenza vaccination campaign promoted by the Tuscany region has begun. The supply of vaccines is free for people over 65, for people in the risk categories, for health workers and, this year, for all blood donors. The doses of vaccine available on the territory of ASL Toscana center are 353 000 for a total expenditure of more than 2 million. There are 47,000 doses in the region of Empoli.

All general practitioners and pediatricians (more than 1,300 in the center of the Mediterranean region) participated in the campaign with great commitment and collaboration to ensure a large vaccination coverage. It is also possible to contact the vaccination centers of the company.

"Only with the vaccine can the symptoms and risks be reduced – says the medical director, Emanuele Gori – and our health service offers citizens an important opportunity that not only prevents diseases, but limits the circulation of the virus, so as to protect the whole community. "

In the last vaccination campaign, in ASL, vaccination coverage against influenza in subjects aged 65 and over was 57.12%.

At the regional level, 55.45% were recorded in the Empoli region. According to the World Health Organization, influenza vaccination among the elderly reduces influenza-related mortality by 75% and a high percentage of coverage among those most at risk has a significant impact on the protection of the population. The whole population.

Last year, the ASL had a total of 45 severe cases of influenza, with a larger spike in January. The average age of severe cases was 57 years, three subjects were less than 5 years old and the other 54 cases were over 20 years old.

Most severe cases (89%) had at least one predisposing risk condition, complicating conditions

clinics (diabetes, tumors, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, chronic diseases) According to a recent study by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, influenza is the infectious disease with the greatest number of consequences in Europe. –