Corona and Flu Vaccination Now Directly Available at the Doctor's Office

Vaccination appointments are available, especially with general practitioners and for the flu vaccination also with pediatricians. Vaccinations can also be carried out in nursing homes and businesses without having to pick up the vaccines from the pharmacy beforehand. The flu vaccine contains three influenza strains and there is a nasal spray for children. The Corona vaccine has been adapted to the LP.8.1 variant.

Corona Vaccination Recommendation for a Third of the Population

There has been an increase in hospital admissions with Corona in recent weeks, reported Valipour based on the Dashboard for Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI). "Influenza currently plays no role," he emphasized in conversation with the APA, supporting the recommendation to vaccinate against the flu from mid-November to have sufficient protection in case of a later wave. The Corona patients currently being admitted to hospitals are particularly older individuals, people with many comorbidities, residents of care facilities, and "not vaccinated in the last twelve months," emphasized the doctor, who also works at the Vienna Clinic Floridsdorf.

Everyone without a SARS-CoV-2 infection in the past six to twelve months, who is over 60 years old or has chronic illnesses, should get vaccinated against Corona annually, he reminded. Valipour mentioned in the conversation organized by the Austrian Association of Vaccine Manufacturers (ÖVIH) that "a third of the population or more now has a clear indication for a booster."

Protection Against Severe Corona Courses Remains Good

The vaccination against Corona has "saved many lives worldwide despite all the voices used politically," as data shows, noted the specialist in internal medicine and pulmonology. It no longer offers sufficient protection against infection. However, in terms of effectiveness against a severe course, "nothing has changed." In contrast, the vaccine protection "lasts quite a half year to a year, with a vaccine efficacy, especially in the first four to six weeks, of up to 80 percent."

The mortality from Corona is now "very low", especially with the appropriate treatment. The medication Paxlovid is still available for at-risk individuals. Valipour therefore recommends a test to detect a SARS-CoV-2 infection. High-risk individuals receive this for free. This can possibly avoid a hospital stay, which according to the doctor lasts about seven to ten days and often leads to a transfer to a care facility. Additionally, Paxlovid reduces the post-Covid risk - such as for cardiovascular sequelae, respiratory infections, or the long-Covid syndrome.

Corona Vaccine Stored at Minus 80 Degrees

The vaccines against Covid-19 and influenza have recently been delivered nationwide in Austria by Herba Chemosan Apotheker-AG to medical practices. This was the result of a four-year tender, reported CEO Andreas Windischbauer. The company thus acts as a partner of the Austrian Vaccination Concept (ÖIP) for Covid and influenza. In total, around 500,000 packages of medication are delivered by delivery vans to pharmacies from seven Herba group warehouse locations in the country per working day, "a total of 130 million packages per year," said Windischbauer during a tour of the large warehouse in Vienna-Simmering. Numerous employees work there, but long, automatic conveyor belts for the delivery boxes also run through the hall.

One of the challenges in delivering the vaccine to the ordering medical practices was that the address data and office hours were not always up to date at the beginning. Pharmacies are generally open from 8:00 to 18:00, but medical practices are not, explained Windischbauer. The ordering doctors must now specify a delivery window of four hours to ensure delivery.

Especially the mRNA vaccine is "very sensitive," emphasized Windischbauer. The cooling of the flu vaccine and delivery in cool boxes is, on the other hand, a standard process. The Covid vaccine must be stored in special refrigerators at minus 80 degrees in the large warehouse as the only goods and thawed at two to eight degrees the day before delivery. After that, the vaccine receives a new expiration date and can be used for eight weeks when stored at two to eight degrees. It is important that the vaccinating doctors do not order more than they need, as the vaccine cannot be returned.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.