Vaccination against influenza and the hexavalent dose continues at a good pace, with the application of more than 12,500 doses in the province of Chiriquí, after having started this process since Monday, May 13.
Marisela Arjona, regional coordinator of the Expanded Immunization Program (PAI), mentioned that this Saturday there was very good attendance at the vaccination posts both in health facilities and at fixed posts, with the main audience being older adults and children accompanied by their parents.
«We invite the entire population to come, because in addition to the Minsa and Social Security Fund facilities that maintain vaccination from Monday to Friday from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm, we also have the weekends of 46 points throughout the 14 districts that make up the region,” said Arjona.
He recalled that 80 thousand doses were allocated for the region, which is why the teams will be in fixed positions for three consecutive weekends, starting this Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19, next May 25 and 26, and closing the June 1 and 2, all with hours from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm
Arjona insisted that each year the influenza vaccine is administered in April, however, due to the small delays in the transfer of the doses, efforts are being made to update the population’s vaccination schedules.
“It is an annual vaccine, so we are all pending and we need to apply the corresponding dose.”
With the arrival of the rainy season, the number of cases of patients in the country’s hospitals due to influenza has increased, causing some deaths.
“It is important to understand that this vaccine does not cause a cold, but rather that protection is provided approximately between 21 and 24 days from its application and sometimes the virus is already incubated, so the time is now and it is aimed at the entire population from 6 months onwards” concluded the regional coordinator of the EPI.
