More than a thousand seek flu vaccinations per day in JF

The annual flu vaccination campaign began on March 25th. The Tribune attended, this Tuesday (2), the Health Service for the Elderly (Sasi) with the aim of investigating the movement and adherence of the population in relation to immunization against the three main types of viruses that cause influenza: Influenza A ( H1N1), Influenza A (H3N2) and Influenza B.

In response to the report, the team providing service at the site estimates that the number of people – from the institution’s target audience – who receive the vaccine is around a thousand individuals per day. Furthermore, the movement is greater in the morning, while in the afternoon the flow tends to be reduced.

Retired Maurício de Paiva Bastos, 66 years old, was one of those who took the vaccine this Tuesday. He says he receives the vaccine every year. “The company I was part of, in Rio de Janeiro, immunized workers. I’ve been taking it annually for a long time. I’m allergic and had the flu, but since I started getting vaccinated I don’t even know what that is anymore. I believe the vaccine is helping in this sense.” Furthermore, Maurício claims to have never had any difficulties receiving the vaccine. “Here, in Juiz de Fora, it’s very peaceful,” he highlights.

The Tribuna questioned the Juiz de Fora City Hall (PJF) regarding the movement at vaccine application sites, using as a context the strike of municipal employees, which ended on Monday. According to the Administration, immunization against Influenza followed the normal rhythm, without compromise during the more than ten days of movement.

Flu immunization campaign

For the campaign against the disease, the target audience is children aged six months to under six years, people aged 60 or over, pregnant women and women who have recently given birth (up to 45 days postpartum), healthcare workers aged 18 or over , teachers, homeless people, professionals from the Security and Rescue Forces and the Armed Forces, people with chronic non-communicable diseases and other special clinical conditions or permanent disabilities, truck drivers and public transport workers, people deprived of liberty and employees of the deprivation of liberty system, in addition to adolescents and young people aged 12 to 21 under socio-educational measures.

The application takes place in the municipality’s Basic Health Units (UBS), in the Elderly Health Service (Sasi) and in the Department of Women’s, Pregnant Women’s, Children’s and Adolescent’s Health (DSMGCA). In the 34 UBS’s that had their opening hours extended, flu vaccination is carried out from 9am to 6pm, from Monday to Friday, and on Saturdays from 8am to 11am. The Parque Guarani, Barreira do Triunfo, Jardim da Lua and Vila Olavo Costa units operate from 9am to 4pm without breaks. On Thursdays, these 38 UBS’s are closed from 2pm to 4pm.

In the remaining units, the opening hours are from 9am to 10:30am and from 1pm to 4pm, except on Thursdays, when afternoon hours are from 1pm to 2:30pm. The Health Service for the Elderly applies vaccines exclusively to the population aged 60 and over, from 8am to 4pm, and the Department of Women’s, Pregnant Women, Children and Adolescents’ Health allocates the vaccine to children aged six months to under six years, pregnant and postpartum women, from 8am to 11:30am and from 1pm to 3pm.

*intern under the supervision of editor Fabíola Costa.