Could a flu outbreak occur in Curitiba?

The specialist stresses the importance of vaccination, so far, and also trying to maintain distance, mask and other precautions, as these protocols are not limited to the epidemic against COVID-19, but against all viruses of respiratory transmission

Vaccination against COVID-19 is advancing across the country and continues to draw residents’ attention to its calendar. However, an outbreak of influenza in Rio de Janeiro this spring and summer is very unusual at the time, revealing that the search for another vaccine has fallen short of expectations: immunization against the common flu (influenza). There are more states of wakefulness.

Adherence to the national influenza vaccination campaign, which took place between April and July 2021, has decreased compared to previous years. In 2019 and 2020, the national average exceeded 90% of the target audience, but this year the national target, which was 90% again, was 70%. According to the Ministry of Health, as of September 2, Paraná has reached about 65.1% of influenza vaccination coverage (among the general population and priority groups). And look at the fact that the state even allowed vaccination of the entire population, but stocks did not run out. The city of Curitiba announced that it has a remaining stock of 167,000 doses of influenza vaccine available on November 25 to all residents in health units.

During the campaign, it was not possible to apply the two vaccines together, it was necessary to wait 14 days. Only at the end of September a technical memorandum from the Ministry of Health authorized the application of the two vaccines on the same day. This would facilitate increased vaccinations, but could a flu outbreak occur in Curitiba? Is this increase in Brazilians with influenza due to reduced immunization?

According to infectious disease doctor Jaime Rocha (director of prevention and health promotion at Unimed Curitiba and in charge of the Unimed laboratory), there is a risk in any region of the country, where respiratory viruses such as influenza and COVID are characterized by rapid transmission. “Low vaccination coverage, as we see now, and flexible human behavior with the issue of masks and hygiene facilitates its spread. We are outside of the usual cycle of influenza, but because we have global circulation and people traveling between hemispheres, re-emergence of the virus is not uncommon.”

The infection specialist confirms that this is H3N2 now, not covered by the 2021 vaccine. In the scenario where we have low vaccination coverage, there is a favorable ground for the virus to evolve again as we can see. Jaime Rocha also explains that each year, the flu vaccine is covered 3 or 4 strains, and each year, it undergoes small changes depending on which virus has the most chance of spreading. “Specifically, this strain will be contained in the next vaccine, in the current vaccine available there are other similar strains that may offer some protection, but this strain is not exactly what is in circulation,” he explains.

This position reinforces the importance of keeping the vaccination calendar up to date — not just thinking about COVID-19 — and the role of all immunization: closing doors to the virus and preventing hospitalizations and deaths. “Unfortunately, this low coverage is not only seen with influenza, but also with many other vaccines such as measles, HPV, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, hepatitis, meningitis, and more. People tend to focus They only get one problem at a time, like the acute one with COVID, and they end up forgetting that we have other diseases under control thanks to good vaccination coverage. We can’t give up one vaccine for another. He stressed that vaccination against COVID does not protect you from others, All diseases deserve the same attention and maintain a high vaccination coverage rate.

what should I do? – The pathologist is heading to vaccination, so far, and trying to maintain distance, mask and other precautions, because these protocols are not limited to the epidemic against COVID-19, but against all viruses transmitted through the respiratory system. But the very important point is that doctors cannot clinically separate the flu from what is COVID. A person with respiratory symptoms must be tested and isolated to be able to take the correct action. Also because, for influenza, if the diagnosis is made within the first 48 hours, there are specific antivirals. For COVID, we still don’t have antivirals for outpatient use – we may have them soon because there are studies. So there is no way to separate one from the other without tests, as the two can cause a similar picture of a flu-like illness: a severe fever with respiratory symptoms. It concludes that the time to isolate patients also varies in each case.”