Vaccine is an ally to curb the increase in hospitalizations and cases of respiratory diseases in the fall | National Newspaper

Vaccine is an ally to curb the increase in hospitalizations and cases of respiratory diseases in the fall

A The vaccine is one of the population’s allies in curbing the increase in hospitalizations and cases of respiratory diseases, typical of autumn.

Ione looked for the nearest basic health unit with well-known symptoms.

“Itchy throat, burning, and coughing”, he lists.

Secretary Samira Georges is recovering from the flu that knocked many people out.

“My sister got it, my husband got it… Practically everyone at home has the flu”, he says.

Colder weather makes people gather indoors and drier days make dust and pollution more present in the air. According to doctors, the result of this combination is an increase in respiratory diseases. They have taken more Brazilians to health centers and hospitals.

According to the Infogripe bulletin, from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, the average increase in hospitalizations was 15% in the last three weekscompared to the same period last month – mainly because of the hospitalization of children up to two years old, which grew by 46%.

Of the 27 units in the country, 20 registered increases.

Infogripe coordinator, Marcelo Gomes, says that cases of respiratory diseases normally increase in autumn, so it is essential to protect yourself to avoid complications.

“The flu vaccine, its role, is precisely to reduce the risk of a cold ending up triggering hospitalization and even death due to the virus. You have a cold, you have a condition that looks like the flu, we wear a good mask , we will reduce the risk of passing it on to other people on public transport, at work, at events, etc.”, he advises.

“The idea is exactly to have a strong campaign, so that we can reach most people by explaining the benefits of the vaccine. People should look for the vaccines that are recommended in the calendar for their age group. Other vaccines happen and can be carried out all the time, all year long”, says Alberto Chebabo, president of the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases.

Retired Marília Magalhães Souza never forgot this:

“I take all the vaccines. I think it’s very important. It’s our defense, right? It’s what we have.”