Although the priority is immunization against COVID-19, the Regional Health Management (Geresa) of Arequipa will also begin to intensify vaccination against the influenza virus due to the report of two positive cases of the type A(H3N2) virus.
The National Center for Epidemiology, Disease Prevention and Control (CDC Peru) of the Ministry of Health (Minsa), reported yesterday that respiratory infections due to the circulation of this type of influenza have increased adding 1,594 cases that have been detected in 14 regionsArequipa is one of them and two positives have already been reported.
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Moquegua and Cusco are the other two southern regions with the presence of the influenza A(H3N2) virus which, according to CDC data, It mainly affects the adult population with 26% of cases.
AVAILABLE VACCINES AGAINST INFLUENZA IN AREQUIPA
The regional immunization coordinator of the Regional Health Management, Giovanna Valdivia, said that in Arequipa will use the batch of 10 thousand doses that Geresa received last week to immunize mainly people from vulnerable groups such as older adults with comorbiditiesthey can go to health centers and to the fixed points implemented in the districts to receive their Influenza vaccine that can be placed together with the COVID-19.
The The intention is to prevent simultaneous respiratory infections of Influenza and COVID from being recorded.. “A literature review has been done and there is no problem with both vaccines being given on the same day, we have even done it at the beginning of the year,” Valdivia said. The brigades have given vaccines against COVID and influenza at the same time until February.
In addition to vaccination of vulnerable groups, the Influenza vaccination is also performed in minors. Pedro Escobedo, head of the Regional Directorate of Medicines, Supplies and Drugs (Diremid) of Geresa, said that there is an available stock greater than 46 thousand doses for this age group.
Report COVID-19 in Arequipa
Geresa has a batch of 10,000 vaccines to be applied to the adult population, which is the most affected by this type of virus
Cusco has 9 infections, Arequipa 2 and Moquegua 1, the virus is present in almost all the southern regions.
