Health
published on: 09/27/2024 17:15:00 – updated: 09/27/2024 19:43:36
The autumn vaccination campaign against flu and covid has been launched in Wallonia. The vaccines have arrived at pharmacists, like in this pharmacy near Pondrôme.
Even if we had almost forgotten its existence, Covid (and its variants) has resurfaced somewhat this year in our country. And to protect yourself from this virus, vaccines have been available for several days in pharmacies, such as in this pharmacy in Pondrôme, where it is possible to be vaccinated, both against covid and against the flu. Being vaccinated against Covid and flu is not compulsory in Wallonia, but strongly recommended for the most vulnerable people. Lara Kotlar is a spokesperson for AVIQ:
The most vulnerable people are those over 65 years old. We also think of immunocompromised people, who have comorbidities. It is also strongly recommended that healthcare personnel, who come into contact with more vulnerable people, be vaccinated. And then there is what we call cocoon vaccination. If there is a more vulnerable person in your family, getting vaccinated is an additional way to protect them.
To get vaccinated during this campaign, three possibilities:
- via your general practitioner
- by a nurse
- or via their pharmacist if they participate in the campaign.
Sylvie Brasseur, pharmacist in Pondrôme, explains:
The patient is free to wish to be vaccinated at the pharmacy, via a nurse or at their doctor’s office. With these three possibilities, the idea is to increase facilities for patients and thus promote vaccination coverage in Wallonia.
Pharmacists have been vaccinating since the health crisis
Vaccinating is not an ancestral act for pharmacists, since they have only been authorized to do it here since the health crisis, continues Sylvie Brasseur.
In France, we have been vaccinating against influenza in pharmacies for several years now. This makes it possible to have a greater number of people vaccinated, and thus reduce flu peaks. It is for the benefit of the entire population. Fewer people with flu mean fewer people hospitalized and therefore a reduction in the burden on hospital care and on doctors in the long term.
At present, the epidemiological situation for Covid in Belgium is not yet alarming, even if the number of cases is increasing.
Finally, note that getting vaccinated against covid during this fall campaign is completely free.
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