Consult your doctor for flu and pneumonia vaccinations

Consult your doctor for flu and pneumonia vaccinations

Experts who warn about flu and pneumonia vaccines, which have become increasingly important in these days of intense pandemic, point out that these vaccines are not administered during the course of a high fever disease and during the active infection period.

Stating that the person to be vaccinated must be completely healthy, experts point out that people over the age of 65 and people with metabolic diseases such as COPD, diabetes, heart and high blood pressure should get flu and pneumonia vaccines. According to experts, a doctor should be consulted, examinations and examinations should be performed before vaccination.

Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital Anesthesia and Reanimation Specialist Prof. Dr. Füsun Eroğlu stated that the flu and pneumonia vaccine is recommended to people in the risk group every year, and said that pneumonia and flu vaccines gained a special importance during the new type of coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic process.
Stating that the flu vaccine is prepared every year with the recommendations of the World Health Organization according to the previous flu strains (as a precaution against the flu virus of the previous year), he said that the protection of the flu vaccine is approximately 6-8 months.

Who should get the flu vaccine?

Prof. Dr. Füsun Eroğlu listed the people who should get the flu vaccine as follows:

- People aged 65 and over,
- Those with chronic lung diseases such as asthma and COPD,
- People with cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and high blood pressure,
- People with chronic metabolic diseases such as diabetes (Type 1 and 2),
- Chronic kidney disease,
- People with certain blood diseases such as anemia and thalassemia,
- Patients whose immune system is suppressed due to organ transplantation and similar conditions and who use medication for this purpose.

There are two types of pneumonia vaccine

Stating that the pneumonia vaccine is a vaccine developed against the bacteria called "pneumococcus", which most commonly causes pneumonia, Prof. Dr. Füsun Eroğlu said, "There are two types of pneumonia vaccines. Both vaccines are dead vaccines purified from bacteria. These are Conjugated Pneumococcal vaccine (KPA13) effective against 13 different types of pneumococci and Polysaccharide Pneumococcal vaccine (PPA23) effective against 23 different types. The first provides lifelong protection. For children over 2 years of age and adults, a single dose is sufficient. The second type of vaccine can only be given to children over 2 years of age. It has 5 years of protection and should be repeated every 5 years."

Who should get the pneumonia vaccine?

Prof. Dr. Füsun Eroğlu stated that the pneumonia vaccine can provide protection against severe infections when administered to high-risk people and listed those who should get pneumonia vaccine as follows:

- People aged 65 and over,
- People with a compromised immune system who have had their spleen removed or whose function is impaired,
- People with certain blood diseases,
- Organ transplant recipients,
- Adults who are AIDS carriers,
- People with heart disease, lung disease, diabetes,
- People with chronic diseases such as alcoholism, liver and kidney failure.

The person to be vaccinated must be completely healthy

Reminding that the flu and pneumonia vaccine is recommended for people aged 65 and over, Prof. Dr. Füsun Eroğlu stated that there are some important points during the administration of these vaccines and said, "If bacterial pneumonia and influenza are found together with Covid-19 infection in risk groups, the picture will be more severe. Both hospitalizations, complications and mortality rates will increase. Influenza and pneumococcal vaccines are not given during the course of a febrile illness, during the period of active infection. We also need to make sure that the person is completely healthy at the time of vaccination during the pandemic period. For this reason, a doctor should be consulted before vaccination, and the necessary examinations and examinations should be performed."

Share
CreatorNP Istanbul Hospital Editorial Board
Updated At05 March 2024
Created At01 October 2020
Let Us Call You
Phone