Influenza vaccine and co-administration, opportunities also in Veneto

In less than a month, on November 2, the anti-flu campaign will start in Veneto. The novelty of being able to co-administer the influenza vaccine together with the antiCovid-19 vaccine, as indicated by the circular of 2 October last of the Ministry of Health, could also favor the interception of patients who have not completed the cycle for Sars-Cov- 2 or even haven’t even started it. A hope that Dr. Viviana Coffele, director of the Hygiene and Public Health Service of Aulss 9 Scaligera and director of the Quality and Accreditation Office, shares with caution. “It will be necessary to see if the new indication will be able to instill confidence in those doubting the vaccine against Covid19. Of course, last year’s anti-flu campaign had a good response, but we cannot predict at this moment whether there will be a change of pace ”. The ministerial note, which acknowledges AIFA’s opinion, specifies the possibility of administering another vaccine included in the National Vaccine Prevention Plan together with the anti-Sars-Cov-2, excluding live attenuated ones, for which the precautions of at least 14 days before or after administration against Covid19. “The primary objective of the circular is, at this stage, to protect the vulnerable and categories at risk from flu, for symptoms similar to those caused by Sars-Cov-2 – continues Coffele -. There will therefore be an active anti-flu offer to those who come for the third dose and to those who have to complete the anti-Covid cycle. Nothing prevents another vaccine included in the Prevention Plan, such as anti-pneumococcus, from being administered for both the elderly and the younger categories at risk ”. The pandemic had a heavy impact on the Veneto prevention departments, with a slowdown in vaccinations from the regional prevention calendar, however, according to Coffele, “it did not concern the pediatric range from zero to six years, guaranteeing basic vaccination”. And likewise “post-exposure vaccinations have been guaranteed, such as those against tetanus.” “Now the vaccinations aimed at adolescents have already restarted, such as the anti papilloma virus, against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis and meningitis – underlines the director of Sisp Scaligero -. For the adult, the anti-pneumococcus and anti-Herpes Zoster had been deferred, but with the decrease in cases of Sars-Cov-2 infections and the evident reduction in hospital admissions, the vaccination campaign has already resumed since June 2020. With the new regional public health plan of last June, the recovery by target categories of the regional vaccination plan was indicated, and to date we are well advanced. ”For those over sixty-five, the recovery of vaccination cycles is close. “For some age groups we have already concluded the active call for Herpes Zoster and anti-pneumococcus, while we have always maintained coverage for the categories at risk”, continues the director of the Aulss9 Scaligera Sisp. Despite the delay in vaccination activities required by the management of the pandemic, no particular critical issues emerged on the front of invasive bacterial diseases that can be prevented thanks to the vaccine. “The control over the spread of these diseases has held up, however, without any clinical case registered in Veneto and in the Aulss 9. Also on the meningitis front, we have resumed vaccination for 15-year-olds, which we actively propose with the trivalent and anti-polio. The coverage objectives are comforting: for the first two years of life it is 95% “, reports Coffele. A positive consequence of the health emergency was the collaboration with general practitioners and hospital wards, in which are vaccinated the most fragile who need a protected environment: cancer patients, transplanted or awaiting transplant, who prefer to rely on the specialist. Alongside this opportunity, “there is an axis of collaboration with the Sisp and with the Population Vaccination Centers (CVP), which are accessed by people indicated by the operating units of the hospitals – concludes the director of the Scaligero Sisp -. This interaction with local services will be even more important when the campaign against influenza is launched. Coordination with the medical directors of the service center for the elderly is well underway, from which we will start with both the flu and the pneumococcal, and we are also coordinating with the family doctors. And we hope to intercept those who have not yet vaccinated against Covid. This is also why collaboration is essential “.