The seasonal flu vaccines are available in the pharmacies of Thessaloniki, while there is already an increased demand from citizens.

As reported by the Pharmaceutical Association of Thessaloniki (ΣΤΥ), for this year, approximately 300,000 anti-flu vaccines have been ordered by the Thessaloniki Pharmacists’ Cooperative and also a large number from the prefecture’s private pharmacies. To date, 52% have been received, while the remaining 48% will be received by October 15.

Influenza vaccines are provided free of charge by the insurance funds and only with an electronic medical prescription.

“This year we have at our disposal two types of vaccines: the conventionally which we know and are the ones we have been using for years and two of new type vaccines that have a medical indication exclusively for people over the age of 60 and 65, respectively” says the president of the Greek National Health Insurance Fund, Dionysios Eugenides, noting that there is already an increased demand, mainly from citizens who belong to high-risk groups. At the same time, he emphasizes that people belonging to high-risk groups should not neglect to get the vaccine, which takes about two weeks to work and create antibodies in the human body.

According to Mr. Eugenidis, the information available from the Ministry of Health is that from the beginning of November, conventional vaccines will be given free of charge and without a medical prescription, through a special platform, directly from pharmacies.

For his part, the secretary of the National Health Insurance Fund Giorgos Kioses points out that the quantities of anti-influenza vaccines that have been ordered this year are sufficient to cover the existing needs. “It is indicative that only the orders from SYFA Thessaloniki have increased by approximately 23% compared to the corresponding period last year. As for the new type of vaccines, they correspond to 10% of the entire quantity of vaccines that have been ordered” notes Mr. Kioses.

According to the instructions of the Ministry of Health, the flu vaccine can be administered even on the same day as the vaccine against COVID-19, but at different anatomical sites, just like any other day before and after the vaccine against coronavirus. Every influenza vaccination is compulsorily registered by the health professional in the National Immunization Registry.

The Pharmaceutical Association of Thessaloniki is planning a campaign to inform citizens about the flu vaccination, through radio and social media.