The organization claims that the upcoming flu season is expected to be more severe than usual, this after the last two years saw particularly low numbers of flu patients, due to the hygienic precautions taken during the corona epidemic, and that the public’s natural immunity to the flu has decreased significantly and due to the removal of the precautions from corona
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns: this coming winter there may be a significant flu outbreak in the Middle East region.
According to the organization, the upcoming flu season is expected to be more severe than usual, after the past two years saw particularly low numbers of flu patients, due to the hygienic precautions taken during the corona epidemic. The public’s natural immunity to the flu has decreased significantly and following the removal of precautions from the corona virus, the upcoming winter outbreak of the flu virus at the same time as the corona virus is expected to worry the health system.
In the countries located in the southern half of the planet, where the flu season runs from March to September, a significant increase in flu cases was recorded, which is expected to also apply to the flu season this coming winter in the Middle East region.
The World Health Organization suggests speeding up the flu vaccination campaign in the countries of the region in order to deal with the upcoming winter flu, especially for high-risk groups including: pregnant women, children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years, people over 65 years old, chronic patients and health workers. It should be noted that the available evidence does not indicate negative effects due to receiving the flu vaccine in addition to the corona vaccine. The World Health Organization recommends the action that everyone can take in order to protect themselves from serious diseases that may result from the flu and its origin – to get vaccinated.
Prof. Avishai Ellis, chairman of the Internal Medicine Association and director of the Internal Medicine Department at Belinson Hospital, points out that after two years in which we experienced a decrease in the incidence of the flu worldwide due to the measures to protect against the corona virus, the data of the World Health Organization, along with the high percentages of morbidity in the southern hemisphere, point to influenza Hardship is expected to hit us in Israel with full force.
Ellis points out that “right now, the flu is not at its peak here, so this is exactly the right time to prepare and get vaccinated. I agree with the recommendations of the Ministry of Health in Israel and international health authorities and recommend the general public, children and adults alike, pregnant women, and especially at-risk populations not to wait for a wave and get vaccinated against the flu as soon as possible.” , said.