The influenza vaccine neither protects nor increases resistance to infection by any type of coronavirus, so why should we get flu shots in the middle of a pandemic? In times of a pandemic crisis, flu prevention not only reduces the incidence of Influenza cases, but also facilitates accurate diagnosis for Coronavirus. There are other very important reasons to encourage flu vaccination, such as:
• To prevent the flu and complications resulting from illness, such as compromised airways, hospitalizations and even death in the most severe cases.
• To avoid the need for medical care and the increased burden on health services.
• To facilitate the definition of a diagnosis between COVID-19 and flu, as the initial symptoms of the two diseases are practically the same.
• To enable healthcare professionals to more quickly establish adequate patient follow-up.
If it is time to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, preference should be given to it. To protect the population from diseases that can impact the immune system, vaccination is essential to shield the organism against infectious and bacterial agents. Unfortunately, the increase in anti-vaccination movements and the proliferation of fake news in recent years have hindered vaccination in Brazil. Within this scenario, it is up to the health professional to raise awareness and educate patients and clients on a daily basis about the importance of immunization (Source: Brazilian Society of Immunizations – SBIm).
Regarding the flu vaccine, one of the safest and most efficient in terms of prevention, studies show that it reduces between 32% and 45% the number of hospitalizations for pneumonia and from 39% to 75% the mortality from complications of the disease.