The anti-flu vaccination campaign implemented by the USL of Parma with the collaboration of general practitioners and paediatricians of free choice begins on Monday 24 October.
Also this year, free vaccination is provided – as well as for the usual so-called “at risk” categories – also for those aged between 60 and 64, regardless of health conditions.
A choice, this, dictated by the co-circulation of influenza viruses together with the coronavirus. It is therefore essential to strengthen vaccination coverage with the aim of reducing complications from influenza and simplifying the diagnosis and management of suspected cases, especially in adulthood, given the similar respiratory symptoms for covid-19 and influenza.
WHY GET VACCINATED
Vaccination is the safest and most effective means of preventing the flu. An opportunity to protect your health and that of those around us.
RULES OF CONDUCT
To counteract the circulation of the virus it is useful to wash your hands regularly, especially after coughing or sneezing, even using alcohol-based disinfectants; cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, with disposable tissues to be disposed of properly; voluntarily isolate themselves at home if symptoms attributable to febrile respiratory diseases occur, especially in the initial phase; avoid close contact with sick people, eg. keeping a distance of at least one meter from those with flu symptoms, wear a mask and avoid crowded places; avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
THE VACCINE
The effectiveness of the vaccine depends on the correlation between the strains it contains and those circulating: for this reason the composition varies every year. The Parma USL has been assigned 110,200 doses that can be increased with subsequent orders during the vaccination campaign, if necessary. The possibility of co-administration of the influenza vaccine with the pneumococcal or the antiCovid-19 vaccine confirmed.
VACCINATION IS FREE
Free vaccination is provided for women who are pregnant or in the postpartum period at the beginning of the epidemic season; children (from 6 months), teens and adults suffering from specific chronic diseases
; people aged 60 or over, with and without pathologies; children and adolescents on long-term treatment with acetylsalicylic acid, at risk of Reye’s syndrome if they have a flu infection; people hospitalized in long-term care facilities; family members and contacts of people at high risk of complications; doctors and health and care personnel in the facilities
health, social-health and social-assistance; employees of public services of primary interest (**); the staff of the farms, slaughterhouses, public and private veterinarians, involved in the transport of animals.
At the request of the interested parties, free influenza vaccination is also provided for healthy children aged 6 months to 6 years.
*: chronic diseases affecting the respiratory system (including severe asthma, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive bronchopathy – COPD); diseases of the cardiovascular system, including congenital and acquired heart disease; diabetes mellitus and other metabolic diseases (including obese people with a body mass index BMI> 30); chronic renal / adrenal insufficiency; diseases of the hematopoietic organs and hemoglobinopathies; tumors and undergoing chemotherapy treatment; congenital or acquired diseases involving deficient antibody production, drug-induced immunosuppression or HIV; chronic inflammatory diseases and intestinal malabsorption syndromes; pathologies for which major surgical interventions are planned; diseases associated with an increased risk of aspiration of respiratory secretions (e.g. neuromuscular diseases); chronic liver diseases.
**: forces of order and civil protection (including the Fire Brigade, Carabinieri, Military and Municipal Police); blood donors; staff of nursery schools, kindergartens and compulsory schools; public transport, post and communications personnel, emergency health service volunteers and public administration employees who perform essential services.
HOW TO BOOK YOUR FREE VACCINATION
People aged 60 and over and those with chronic diseases from the age of 14 should contact their family doctor, who will make an appointment for the vaccination.
For children from 6 months up to 14 years with chronic diseases, vaccination is ensured by the AUSL Community Pediatric Services in the 4 districts. The request of the free choice pediatrician (or family doctor) is required, who must report the pathology of the child to be vaccinated. For the appointment it is necessary to call 0521.1794093 from Monday to Friday from 8 to 17 and on Saturday from 8 to 12. For the Taro and Ceno Valleys District, parents will receive a letter of invitation to vaccinate their child by the Community Pediatrics. To change the appointment proposed in the letter or for any reservations, they can contact the number 0521.1794093. Upon request, vaccination will also be ensured for healthy children aged 6 months to 6 years, the methods of delivery will be communicated later.
People belonging to the other “at risk” categories (namely: pregnant and postpartum women, employees of essential public services, staff from farms, slaughterhouses, public and private veterinarians, animal transport operators) must apply by filling in the online form on the home page of the website www.ausl.pr.it The appointment will be communicated by email and vaccination will be ensured at the vaccination hubs where it will be possible to propose co-administration with anti-covid vaccines.
All other citizens who do not fall within the aforementioned categories can still get vaccinated: a family doctor’s prescription, the purchase of the vaccine at the pharmacy and administration (for a fee) by your doctor or trusted pediatrician is required. Citizens between healthy 18-59 years old can also be vaccinated at participating pharmacies and the service will be paid, according to the provisions of the national agreement (the list of participating pharmacies, published on the Emilia-Romagna Region website, is constantly updated).
As in previous years, the active and free offer of pneumococcal vaccination, ensured by family doctors, continues for people aged 65 years.
SOME DATA
In Parma and its province, 98,443 people were vaccinated during the 2021-2022 campaign, compared to 107,990 in the previous season, registering an overall decrease of 9%, against a decline in the regional average of -12%. 63.2% of over-65s were vaccinated (regional average at 65.1%) and a 17% increase in vaccinated health workers was reported.