The prescription of the flu vaccine is coming to an end according to Health Minister Thanos Plevris, since, as he stressed while speaking to Antenas, one will no longer need to go to the doctor to get it but can simply go to the pharmacy, putting an end to the hassle as the visit to the doctor for the prescription was one of the main reasons why many people did not get the vaccine.
«We have now ensured the sufficiency of flu vaccines. Possibly by next week the secretary general, Mrs Irene Agapidaki, who is running the issue, will have completed the procedures. We will open up the system for vaccination without prescription,» the health minister said.
Plevris said that the mandatory prescription created a series of problems that resulted in low rates of vaccination of the population against influenza, in contrast to the years when prescription was not necessary.
Who should get the flu vaccine
According to the National Vaccination Programme of our country, influenza vaccination should be applied systematically and preferentially to people (adults and children) belonging to the following increased risk groups:
People aged 60 and over
Children (6 months and over)
and adults with one or more of the following aggravating factors or chronic diseases:
Chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Heart disease with severe haemodynamic disturbance
Immunosuppression (hereditary or acquired)
Organ transplantation and bone marrow transplantation
Sickle cell anaemia (and other haemoglobinopathies)
Diabetes mellitus or other chronic metabolic disease
Chronic kidney disease
Chronic liver diseases
Neurological-neuromuscular diseases
Down's syndrome
Pregnant women of any gestational age, pregnant women, women who are pregnant and breastfeeding.
Individuals with morbid obesity (BMI >40Kg/m2) and children with BMI >95th percentile.
Children who take aspirin long-term (e.g. for Kawasaki disease, rheumatoid arthritis and others).
People who are in close contact with children younger than 6 months of age or who care for or live with people with an underlying disease that increases the risk of complications of influenza.
Closed populations, such as staff and interns (schools, military and police schools, special schools, etc.), recruits, institutions for the chronically ill and elderly, detention centres.
Workers in health care facilities (nursing staff, other workers, health students in clinical training) and in refugee-migrant accommodation centres.
Homeless.
Veterinarians, poultry farmers, pig farmers, pig farmers, breeders, slaughterers and people in general who come into regular contact with birds or pigs.
