Vaccination campaign against seasonal flu launched

A campaign to immunize the people against seasonal flu started today, October 23. The children and elderly persons, especially those from orphanages and old people's homes, and other groups of vulnerable persons will benefit from free vaccination against seasonal flu, in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization, Info-Prim Neo reports. Campaigns aimed at reducing the number of influenza cases are conducted yearly. As many as 16,800 flu vaccines have been purchased for this season so far, with money from the Prophylaxis Fund of the National Health Insurance Company. 50,000 more vaccines will be available by the end of December. A flu vaccine costs 87.58 lei, the director general of the National Health Insurance Company Mircea Buga told a news conference. He added that they have already calculated the necessary number of shots for vulnerable and specific groups. The seasonal flu is a serious problem in Moldova, as the pandemic flu, said Deputy Minister of Health Oleg Lozan. But the vaccination against seasonal flu is different from that against pandemic flu. The deputy minister said the combination of these two strains into a vaccine will be possible next year. The free vaccines during the 2009-2010 cold season are intended for children suffering with chronic diseases, elderly persons, the personnel of orphanages, boarding schools, old people's homes and sanatoriums, the medical staff of primary medical care institutions and infectious diseases sections, intervention teams dealing with flu outbreaks, certain units of the National Army, the border guard troops, the carabineer troops, the customs employees and others. Constantin Spanu, deputy director of the National Scientific Practical Center of Preventive Medicine, said that the number of cases of viral infections is on the rise, but this is typical of this period of the year. According to him, no cases of seasonal influenza have been confirmed so far. The elementary rules for preventing flu include the frequent washing of the hands with soap, the use of protection masks and handkerchiefs, eating of food rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals, a healthy lifestyle, permanent cleaning and airing of the rooms, etc. About 300,000 persons die from seasonal flu worldwide every year. As many as 115 cases of pandemic flu have been reported in Moldova after the announcement of the A (H1N1) pandemic influenza. The virus was detected in 15 cases of these.