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Health officials express concern over drop in influenza vaccination participation in Iceland

Saturday 5th 2024 on 21:59 in  
Iceland

Health officials are expressing concern over the significant drop in participation in influenza vaccinations last winter compared to the previous year. The vaccination campaign has begun at health care facilities.

Risk groups encouraged to receive the flu vaccine include individuals aged 60 and older, children aged six months to four years, pregnant women, health care workers, and those with underlying health conditions. Additionally, these groups, excluding the youngest children, can also receive a COVID-19 vaccine simultaneously.

Kamilla Sigríður Jósefsdóttir, the chief vaccination officer at the Department of Health, noted, “We were somewhat shocked by the much lower participation rates in both flu and COVID vaccinations last winter compared to the winter before.” She emphasized that the data reveals a substantial increase in hospital admissions due to respiratory infections linked to COVID-19, and improving vaccination rates could help alleviate this burden.

Rates of flu vaccinations among those 60 and older were around 47% last autumn, but officials aim for it to reach approximately 70% to significantly impact hospital workloads and reduce illness and fatalities in this age group.

Some typically healthy individuals, who may not think about getting vaccinated, particularly those using asthma medication frequently, are encouraged to consider flu and COVID vaccination if given the opportunity.

Vaccination appointments can be made online, and some pharmacies and workplaces also offer vaccinations. Vaccination not only reduces virus transmission but also lessens the burden on hospitals. “When individuals do not receive the vaccine, it results in more illnesses, complications, and, unfortunately, more fatalities,” health officials warn.

Source 
(via ruv.is)