Influenza vaccination: twice as important in corona times!
Christiane Fux studied journalism and psychology in Hamburg. The experienced medical editor has been writing magazine articles, news and factual texts on all conceivable health topics since 2001. In addition to her work for, Christiane Fux is also active in prose. Her first crime novel was published in 2012, and she also writes, designs and publishes her own crime plays.
More posts by Christiane Fux All content is checked by medical journalists.Every autumn, the Federal Center for Health Education calls on risk groups to be vaccinated against the flu. This year it is even more important than usual that it is used by as many people at risk as possible - for individuals and society. The reason is the corona pandemic, which is rampant at the same time.
Avoid double infections
The vaccination does not protect against Sars-CoV-2. However, there are indications that people with flu are particularly easy to get infected with Sars-CoV-2. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin and at the Pasteur Institute in Paris have calculated using a mathematical model that the risk of infection is then 2 to 2.5 times higher.
It is also not known how a double infection from Sars-CoV-2 and flu affects patients. Particularly severe courses could then be more frequent.
You can read more about the flu and coronavirus in our article “Coronavirus or flu? Those are the differences! ”.
Relieve the burden on the health system
Experts also hope that slowing down the flu wave can prevent the health system, which is increasingly burdened by Covid-19 infections, from being overwhelmed. Since there is still no vaccination against the coronavirus, the only way to counteract this at the level of vaccination is the flu vaccination.
"People with an increased risk of flu should definitely get vaccinated," emphasizes Prof. Heidrun Thaiss, head of the Federal Center for Health Education. You are at an increased risk of developing the flu. In addition, the risk groups for severe courses of Covid-19 and flu largely overlap.
Thaiss advises to make an appointment now. Because after the vaccination, it takes 10 to 14 days for the body to build up adequate protection against the flu viruses.
Further information on the flu vaccination can be found in our article of the same name "Flu vaccination".
Elderly, chronically ill, pregnant women
The Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) recommends flu vaccination for people over 60 years of age, chronically ill people of all ages (e.g. patients with asthma, diabetes or diseases of the immune system), pregnant women after the third month of pregnancy, medical and nursing staff, residents of the elderly and Nursing homes, people with a lot of social contacts such as social workers and teachers as well as contact persons from certain risk groups.
Vaccinations for everyone?
In addition, some statutory health insurances are offering all their members to cover the costs of the flu vaccination this season. For example, vaccination for children can also be useful in consultation with the pediatrician, since the little ones transmit the influenza virus to a large extent. The flu vaccination also works particularly well for them. Unfortunately, less among the much more endangered senior citizens.
Since flu viruses and Sars-CoV-2 are transmitted in the same way, the corona protective measures also help against influenza: thorough hand washing with soap, keeping your distance; Wear mask.
