Anti flu vaccine for the “at risk”

THE Balearic Ministry of Health will distribute a total of 175'000 doses of vaccine during its anti flu campaign this year, up by 15 per cent compared to last year. The objective is to give the most protection possible from this disease to the “at risk” groups.
This was explained yesterday by the Balearic Minister for Health, Aina Castillo, together with the director of Ib-Salut, Sergio Bertran, and the director general of Public Health, Antonio Pallicer, during the presentation of the new campaign, which will be carried out between October 25 and December 15. The Government has invested 784'000 euros in the vaccine. Castillo confirmed that 142'000 doses will be available on Majorca, 18'000 on Ibiza and Formentera and 15'000 on Minorca. This exceeds the quantity dispensed during the 2005 campaign, during which 151'000 Balearic citizens were vaccinated.
Of these, 139'000 were included in the “at risk” groups, who need to be vaccinated to avoid complications if they get the flu, and 12'000 were outside of these groups. Castillo said that on Majorca 68.9 percent of the “at risk” population was vaccinated (117'000 people); 60 percent on Ibiza and Formentera (12'500) and 60 percent on Minorca (9'500 people). In addition to this, during the last few years the population has shown a progressive interest in being vaccinated, as in 2004 140'000 people were vaccinated in comparison with the 151'000 who were vaccinated in 2005. The main part of the population included in the “at risk” groups are people over 65 years old, some 135'000 on the islands, to whom must be added the residents of geriatric or clinical centres, people with chronic heart or respiratory diseases, diabetics and people with kidney problems, immunodeficient people and pregnant women (especially from three months), said the Minister for Health. It is also recommended that people who work with sick people and those who work in essential community services (police, firemen and others) should be vaccinated, as should people who are thinking about travelling to countries affected by bird flu and those who work with birds. Flu vaccine has an effectiveness of between 70 and 80 percent, added Pallicer, who said that there was no reason to think that this year's flu would be more virulent than last year's. However, other measures have also been put in place to combat the incidence of respiratory diseases, which occur more frequently at this time of year, and which affect the hospital occupation figures. Also in place is the Balearic Health Service's “watch” network of doctors, who report weekly on incidences of flu.