Doctors say vaccine reduces risk of death from influenza – Health, education and well-being – Notes

Epidemiology and infectious disease specialists in the city noted that the vast majority of influenza deaths in the country involved unvaccinated people with comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes, obesity and stroke. Asthma, among others.

Darwin Stalin Torres Erazo, internist and infectiologist in the elderly, said at a press conference organized by a pharmaceutical company that during the season of high traffic, that is to say since the 40th week Epidemiological study started on October 8, 267 cases and nine deaths have been reported so far, "remarkable number reported by the surveillance system of the Directorate General of Epidemiology that has been exceeded only three times during last nine years, "explained the graduate specialist of the University National Autonomous Government of Mexico (UNAM).

"Given that 81 percent of the cases during the offseason season occurred in the south of the country, it is important to raise awareness and call the general population and especially at-risk groups to be vaccinated. this is the beginning of the flu season 2018-2019 ".

According to official reports, Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Veracruz, Campeche and Tabasco were the most affected states during the 2018 inter-season influenza season, mainly affecting age groups from one to nine years 40 to 49 years old.

Jesús Miguel Escalante Pulido, head of the endocrinology department of the Western Medical Center specialty hospital, explained that diseases that affect the immune system of patients, such as obesity and diabetes, are conditions that compromise health.

"This puts them in a group of potential risk of flu-related complications because it increases three times the odds of hospitalization and up to six times more deaths," he said.

Influenza vaccination protects people with diabetes to reduce the risk of fulminant heart attack by 30%, heart failure by 22%, myocardial infarction by 19% and heart failure by 15%. ;a pneumonia. and 24% of deaths, making vaccination of this group a priority, he said.

For its part, president of Asociación ALE, dedicated to promoting a healthy lifestyle. Carlos Castro emphasized that "it is important that, in events like this, the voice of the patient".

He emphasized that education and vaccination are two fundamental pillars of preventing diseases such as influenza.

Considering that 88% of influenza cases confirmed during the 2017-2018 season were produced in unvaccinated persons, compared to the new season beginning in October and ending in May 2019, the specialists pointed out that Importance of annual vaccination main prevention measure.