With the expansion of vaccination coverage, the department holds another D-Day for flu vaccination – Acorda Cidade

With the aim of immunizing the population against influenza, the Department of Health (SMS) held this Saturday (4), another D-Day of Vaccination against the disease. After expanding vaccination coverage to apply vaccines to anyone from six months of age, the Ministry of Health intends to increase immunization across the country. The first national campaign took place on the 13th.

It is important to remember that the state of Bahia, in addition to facing the dengue epidemic with the record of 56 deaths from the disease, the state is also experiencing an increase in influenza cases. In Feira de Santana alone, from January to March this year, 10 deaths were confirmed, three of which were in children under two years of age.

Thinking about the need to raise awareness among the population about the importance of getting vaccinated, especially taking into account the severity of the disease and the increase in the number of cases, Acorda Cidade spoke with Carlita Correia, coordinator of the municipality’s Epidemiological Surveillance.

She spoke about the guidance that healthcare professionals are providing in cases of suspected flu.

“For patients who have flu-like symptoms, we know that in this autumn and winter, we see an increase in the number of respiratory syndromes. So we have a lot of viruses circulating. So, we advise that people who have flu-like symptoms should seek a health unit and not self-medicate. They often have flu-like symptoms that are also mixed with dengue symptoms. So it is important to make this differentiated diagnosis, to test for Covid, because Lacen, he makes the viral map, and he also does analysis to find out if it is an H1N1 type virus”, he indicated.

According to the coordinator, until early afternoon the population’s acceptance of D-Day was favorable. Entire families showed up to receive the vaccine in the SMS auditorium.

“By 11 am we had around 600 people already vaccinated. And the most important thing is that parents are bringing their children to be vaccinated, very important during this period when they are a very vulnerable public to the disease, and they are in schools, in normal classes, without wearing masks, and at school there is many children with respiratory viruses.”

Driver Adolfo Bacelar Brito found out about D-Day through ‘word of mouth’. He took advantage of the opportunity this Saturday off and went to the SMS auditorium to get vaccinated.

“I found out about it from the people and I liked the vaccine, I liked having taken it. It was quick and excellent people administered the vaccine. You don’t even feel the shot, let alone the vaccine,” she said.

Today, immunization continues until 5pm at SMS and in Family Health Units (USFs). To get vaccinated, simply show up with an identity document, SUS card and vaccination booklet.

See the locations available for the application:

• Auditorium of the Municipal Health Department
• USF – Campo Limpo I, V and VI,
• USF – Liberdade I, II and III,
• USF – Queimadinha I, II and III,
• USF – Parque Ipê I, II and III,
• USF – Videiras I, II and III and
• USF – Rua Nova II, III and Barroquinha.
• USF – George 3,4 and Campo Limpo 4

According to Carlita Correia, of the priority groups in Feira de Santana, around 12% were vaccinated, so, despite the good acceptance this Saturday, vaccination continues from Monday (6) in the city’s USFs.

“We will continue, the importance of this group in attending the units is very great. They are a population that, in fact, is very vulnerable, health workers, the elderly, children, so we alert the population that the vaccine came to priority groups, but the Ministry of Health expanded it to the general population and, the From Monday onwards, we will continue vaccinating, while supplies last”, highlighted the coordinator.

Furthermore, she alerted the population to flu-like symptoms that can be confused with Covid-19 and even dengue, so the recommendation is firm. At the sign of any suspicion of respiratory problems, start hydrating and look for a health unit for treatment and the correct diagnosis.

“The patient needs to be tested, mainly for respiratory symptoms and dengue. The way to differentiate which pathology is being treated at the moment. In fact, in this time of increase in people with flu-like symptoms, we have been warning the population to seek testing, to differentiate the diagnosis. We even have the laboratory, where we make spontaneous demands, where we also test for Covid, which in the same place we can do to identify if it is Covid, if it is influenza and also to identify if it is dengue” , he added.

Read also: Ten deaths from influenza Influenza were recorded this year in Feira de Santana

With information from reporter Ney Silva from Acorda Cidade

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