Influenza vaccine 2021, everything you need to know

On the flu shot 2021 the regions, as always, are moving in scattered order: the Lazio for example, it started in early October with the administration, where necessary, in combination with the third dose of the anti-Covid vaccine. In Campania GPs have been receiving the doses since the end of September. In Lombardy we left on 7 October, in Piedmont on 14, in Emilia Romagna 25 (as in Tuscany). In Veneto, on the other hand, it will start on November 2, a long way behind the Ministry’s recommendations already issued last April: move from the beginning of October to limit the spread of flu and facilitate Covid diagnoses, avoiding outpatient and hospital overcrowding.

We are therefore a little behind with the roadmap on influenza vaccine 2021, albeit with a recoverable waste, especially in logistical terms given that general practitioners will find themselves in their hands three different campaigns: influenza, pneumococcus and Covid. Plus, if they don’t seem like it this year at the moment there are problems in terms of supplies (but last year Lazio, having started very well, at the end of November found themselves dry due to a non-delivery of Sanofi, right in the middle of the anti-flu campaign, in November) an element of concern could be in fact skipped last season’s virus. The people who did not contract the flu with the variants circulating last season are very many, the vast majority, so the audience of the vulnerable is much larger than in the past.

In Italy they are available quadrivalent influenza vaccines which contain two viruses of type A (H1N1 and H3N2) and two viruses of type B. There are for example those on cell cultures, the inactivated adjuvants, those ad high dosage suitable for over 65s, that vivo attenuated which is administered by intranasal spray (for children and teenagers from 2 to 18 years) introduced last season and the one produced through the technology of Recombinant DNA: it is based on the production of a protein of an infectious agent without using the wild microorganism, from 18 years onwards.

Who should get the flu shot?

Also in the circular of last April, the ministry explained that immunization is indicated for all those who wish to avoid the flu disease and who do not have specific contraindications. However, vaccination is offered actively e for free to subjects who, due to their personal conditions, run a greater risk of experiencing complications. The categories are numerous: they range from people aged 6 months to 65 years with pathologies that increase the risk (such as those affecting the respiratory or cardio-circulatory system, diabetes, tumors, congenital diseases, liver diseases and many others) and their families pregnant women or who have recently given birth at the beginning of the epidemic season passing through the over 65 they long-term care individuals. Vaccination is also recommended for non-at-risk children aged 6 months-6 years, basically in order to reduce the circulation of the influenza virus between adults and the elderly.

Then there are some more exposed categories who should be vaccinated: doctors and health personnel, police forces, firefighters, personnel who, for work reasons, are in contact with animals which could be a source of infection by non-human influenza viruses (breeders, live animal transport workers, slaughterers and vaccinators, public veterinarians and freelancers among others) and blood donors. In all these cases the flu vaccine should be recommended and offered free of charge, even if the individual does not belong to the clinical risk groups specified above. Furthermore, “after vaccinating the eligible population categories, where there are excess stocks of vaccine, it is possible offer it for free to anyone who requests itThe ministry explains.

Others can get vaccinated freely, paying the cost of the vaccine, from your GP after purchasing the vaccine at a pharmacy or, in certain regions such as Lombardy, even in private institutions (costs around 50 euros). Vaccinations will also start in Pharmacy (but only to those over 18 and above all among those who are entitled to it free of charge). For each injection, the pharmacist will receive € 6.16 and a first aid worker must be present at the pharmacy. This is foreseen by the draft Memorandum of Understanding between the government, regions, Federfarma and Assofarm for administration in pharmacies as required by the Green Pass decree converted into law last September. The text should be signed in the next few days.

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