According to the new procedure, these persons will also be able to receive booster doses of the vaccine for free.
According to the NVSC, the age group for free vaccination was not chosen randomly. Individuals in this group are at the highest risk of developing a severe form of the disease and experiencing long-term residual effects.
“A third of the patients have residual symptoms: balance disorders, shoulder girdle muscle damage, headaches, hearing, attention disorders or psychological problems.
In some cases, tick-borne encephalitis causes such severe residual effects that it leads to disability. About 9 percent those who are ill can no longer live without help, and about a fifth of people have impaired memory, attention, and sleep.
In such a case, a person cannot continue his studies, the same mental work”, NVSC chief specialist Milda Žygutienė is quoted in the report.
According to NVSC data, January – July this year. 72,127 children and 240,779 adults were vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis, last year during the same period, fewer children were vaccinated – 69,827, and more adults – 246,972.
During this year, 453 cases of tick-borne encephalitis were diagnosed in Lithuania, 6 of which resulted in death. At that time, in 2023, during the same period, 198 illnesses were recorded, of which one resulted in death, the NVSC reports.
2024-09-01 08:50:51