Who is entitled and the price

Influenza is a big problem every year. Compared to other developed countries, few people get vaccinated, often because they are afraid of side effects. Others think that the vaccine would not help them anyway. He still doesn’t see the difference between the regular one a virusagainst which the vaccine does not protect, and fluwhich is significantly more serious and the most dangerous disease.

Vaccination against the flu is carried out every year before the start of the flu season, which usually occurs in the winter months. The best time to start vaccination is usually October. However, vaccination can also be done later, until the beginning of the pandemic, which usually occurs in January. Protection occurs after about ten days.

All citizens older than 6 months can be vaccinated. For children aged 6 months to 9 years who are being vaccinated for the first time, it is recommended to administer two doses of the vaccine within four weeks. The others are vaccinated with one dose every year.

The flu vaccine is injected into the muscle in the upper arm, the nasal vaccine for children is injected into the nostrils as a spray.

Influenza vaccination needs to be repeated every year, before each flu season. Influenza viruses are constantly changing and new strains are created that can cause disease, so the vaccine must be modified every year.

Vaccination against the flu in the Czech Republic is recommended for all citizens, especially people with a higher risk of complications associated with the flu. Among them are the elderly, small children, pregnant women, people with chronic diseases, health workers and others.

In addition to reducing the risk of the disease and its serious complications, the advantage of vaccination is that the increased number of vaccinated people helps reduce the spread of the virus in the population and protects the most vulnerable individuals.

For children, children under the age of five have a greater risk of complications, and exceptionally even death. Those who have some chronic disease should definitely get vaccinated. In them, the risk of complications and necessary hospitalization is up to five times higher than in healthy children. These are mainly patients with heart defects, asthma, serious lung diseases or cystic fibrosis.

Inactivated vaccines are given by injection in the Czech Republic, which contain only non-living components of the original flu viruses. The vaccine and Influvac Tetra (price 340 crowns) and Vaxigrip Tetra (340 crowns) are available on the market, as well as Efluelda with a higher content of the active ingredient for people over 60 years of age (price approximately 900 crowns).

The first two are for children from six months and adults. Efluelda is intended only for people aged 60 and over, because it works even more effectively in them than previous vaccines. However, it is always necessary to pay the difference in payment.

A vaccine is now available on the market, which is applied to the nose in the form of a nasal spray. This new application form replaces painful vaccination. It is intended for children from two to eighteen years old. It is a live, weakened flu vaccine. Inanimate vaccines Vaxigrip Tetra and Influvac Tetra are most often used.

Flu vaccination usually causes only mild and transient side effects, such as pain or redness at the injection site. Some people can be tiredhave muscle pain or fever. Rarely, allergic reactions to vaccine components can occur, but these are very rare.

In the Czech Republic, vaccination against influenza is not mandatory for the public or for health workers.

For age groups 65+ and other legally listed groups of health-impaired and high-risk insured persons, vaccination is covered by public health insurance. These are those who are chronically ill with the heart, blood vessels, respiratory tract, kidneys or diabetes. Furthermore, those with weakened immunity are in hospitals for the long-term sick, in homes for the elderly, in homes for people with disabilities or in homes with a special regime. Vaccination is also paid for health workers and other professional workers in the health sector, including pharmacy workers and students of all types of schools with a medical focus.

Very often, patients mistake the flu for a cold or a virus. However, high temperatures and general malaise are not typical for it, in addition, it comes on gradually and is often accompanied by a stuffy nose and a runny nose. pain in the neck. The flu strikes suddenly and, unlike a virus, you don’t really get over it, the temperatures are high – up to 40 °C, accompanied by chills, headaches and general fatigue. Scratching in the throat and coughing appear only later.