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Before starting flu season Experts warn against picking
Although it takes a while until the flu season begins, but health experts are already warning against picking. Especially for older and weakened people influenza without protection could be dangerous.
Only every second vaccinated over 60 years
Although there is still a bit to go until the flu season, according to experts, should now consider whether they should again this year to the flu vaccine. Health experts now warned about the existing implants in Germany. According to a joint statement from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI) and the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA), only one in two of the most vulnerable over-60s was recently vaccinated.
Every year, the population is called to the flu vaccination. (Image: thodonal / fotolia.com) Inoculation rate not reached in Germany
The background is data from a recent report on the previous flu season of the "Arbeitsgemeinschaft Influenza". And even among chronically ill persons between the ages of 18 and 59, only 24 percent were vaccinated, although the risk of a serious illness is also higher in this group. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) requires at least 75 percent vaccination coverage for high-risk groups. In this country, however, many people are skeptical and have been debating the pros and cons of the flu vaccine for a long time. Doubts about the meaning of the vaccine were also strengthened last season, when it became known that the flu vaccine was not working so well.
Over six million doctor visits for flu
According to RKI data, older people over the age of 60 were the most affected by the disease. In some cases, influenza can also lead to death. In the 2014/2015 season, it was estimated that around 6.2 million flu-related visits to the doctor. Approximately 31,000 patients were hospitalized according to estimates. In total, around 88,000 cases were registered nationwide. According to the RKI, this was the highest level since 2001, except for the 2009 swine flu pandemic. However, the number of actual influenza illnesses is likely to have been much higher.
People from risk groups will be vaccinated
"Vaccination is an important and safe way to protect, even if their effectiveness can vary," said RKI President Lothar Wieler. More than 17 million vaccine doses have been released by the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI) so far. "The vaccines for the new 2015/2016 season differ in two of the three components compared to the previous season," said PEI President Klaus Cichutek. Most flu starts in December and lasts until March or April. However, disease cases can already occur now. The flu vaccine is recommended primarily for older people over the age of 60, chronically ill patients with underlying conditions such as diabetes, asthma or cardiovascular diseases, medical staff and pregnant women from the second trimester of pregnancy. Given the weeks of hardships that people have had to endure, a virologist has come to flu vaccinations in refugee shelters. The director of the Institute of Virology at the Technical University of Munich, Ulrike Protzer, explained that it is a greater risk for weakened people to get more seriously if they catch an infection. According to the expert, there is no lack of flu vaccine doses. (Ad)