The vaccination campaign against influenza virus will start today. A total of 1 million 300 thousand doses will be applied in a period of six weeks, in the largest vaccination effort ever made in the history of this country.
Leandra Abarca, coordinator of the CCSS Immunization program, explained that vaccines have already been distributed to all health facilities. The risk groups that are the main target of the CCSS are pregnant women, regardless of their gestational age, children between six months and five years old, and people over 60 years of age.
In addition, people between five and 60 years old who have any of these conditions: chronic respiratory disease, diabetes, morbid obesity, heart disease, congenital or acquired immunosuppression, hemoglobinopathies, cirrhosis, moderate or severe malnutrition, and people with other conditions such as Down’s syndrome, neurological problems or infantile cerebral palsy, are also in the risk groups.
This year, the group of children to be protected was expanded, which implied an increase in the number of people to be vaccinated. For this campaign, the CCSS allocated $5 million.
Seasonal influenza is a contagious respiratory disease caused by viruses, which can occur in mild or severe forms and can sometimes lead to death. Fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose or stuffy nose, muscle and body aches, headaches, fatigue (fatigue) and in some cases (especially in children) vomiting and diarrhea, are part of the symptoms.