Flu season is upon us. The number of flu infections is expected to rise sharply in the coming weeks, while fewer flu vaccines have been delivered in Brussels over the past two years. That is why the Common Community Commission is launching a campaign to encourage Brussels residents to get vaccinated.
Friday’s Public Health bulletin said that the number of infections with the flu is expected to rise sharply in the coming weeks. At the same time, the corona virus is still present. In fact, the number of infections and hospitalizations has increased in recent days throughout Belgium, and also in the Brussels-Capital Region. That could increase the pressure on hospitals in the coming weeks and months.
In Brussels, the number of flu vaccinations has decreased in the last two years. On November 21, 91,577 flu vaccines were delivered to pharmacies in Brussels, compared to 135,933 for the whole year 2020 and 128,229 for the whole year 2021.
Communication campaign
The GGC is therefore launching a new communication campaign about the flu vaccination on radio and social media to encourage the vaccination and to emphasize how simple it is.
For two years now, pharmacists have been allowed to sell the flu vaccine directly to anyone without a prescription. After that, the doctor must administer it. If you belong to a risk group, you will be reimbursed for a large part of the vaccine and you only have to pay the co-payment, which is about four euros (and 2 euros for people with the increased allowance).
If you also need another dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, you can get both vaccines at the same time. Bring your flu vaccine to one of the two Brussels vaccination centers (Pacheco or Molenbeek). There you get the Covid-19 vaccine in one arm and the flu vaccine in the other, as approved by the Superior Health Council.