A new vaccination campaign starts in St. Petersburg

On September 2, 2021, a flu vaccination campaign will start in St. Petersburg . Vaccination can be done both in the clinic and in mobile points that will be installed near the metro stations "Ozerki", "Specific", "Parnas" and "Prospect of Enlightenment". This was announced on Monday, August 30, by Irina Chkhingeria, HEAD of the Rospotrebnadzor’s surveillance department for the Northwestern Federal District.

This year, the Ultrix Quadri vaccine, which protects against four strains of the virus, will be available in St. Petersburg. The epidemic season for influenza and other infectious diseases in St. Petersburg traditionally begins in the last ten days of August - early September and lasts until April. Right now, when the weather is still good, and the threat of CORONAVIRUS has decreased, the most favorable time for a flu shot, experts said. Until November 1, it is planned to vaccinate people at risk, including the elderly, patients with chronic diseases and children.

DIRECTOR of the Research Institute of Influenza named after A.A. Smorodintsev of the Ministry of HEALTH of RUSSIA Dmitry Lioznov explained how to combine vaccinations against influenza and covid-19 . According to him, covid is a priority. “If a person was sick and six months have passed, the coronavirus is also a priority in order to have time to get vaccinated against the flu in the early period of the influenza season,” Lioznov said at a press conference. Both vaccinations are now included in the national vaccination schedule. According to the instructions, the interval between vaccinations should be at least 28 days.

Lioznov also said that St. Petersburg scientists are preparing a vaccine for clinical trials that will protect against both coronavirus and influenza A.

At a press conference, experts noted that last year only 17 cases of influenza were recorded in St. Petersburg, which, on the one hand, is due to the fact that 62% of citizens were vaccinated against the virus, on the other hand, as experts noted earlier in an interview with RBC Petersburg, with unprecedented security measures. This time it is planned to vaccinate 3.2 million people. Influenza, according to epidemiologists, can increase the burden on healthcare, and it is also possible to get a mixed infection (simultaneous infection with influenza and coronavirus). So far, no such cases have been registered in St. Petersburg and in Russia as a whole, there are only about 60 such patients in the world. However, this is one of the real threats of the upcoming season.