President Bachelet announces an additional 1.5 million influenza vaccines
The President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, visited Antu School – meaning sun in Mapudungun – in the La Cisterna district of Santiago, accompanied by the Health Minister, Carmen Castillo, to launch the 2015 influenza vaccination campaign. This year’s campaign sees a significant increase in the number of vaccines, particularly for young children: “Up until 2014, children aged between six months and two years old were offered the vaccine. But this year we are extending this to three, four and five year olds,” the President explained. She added: “This means that the number of people vaccinated will go from 3.5 million to around 5 million.”
Vaccines will be offered to the following groups of people who are covered by either the National Health Fund (Fonasa) or private health insurers (Isapres): pregnant women (from 13 weeks); people over 65 years of age; people of any age with chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, cystic fibrosis, heart disease, severe kidney or liver failure, cancer, HIV or autoimmune disorders. President Bachelet went on to explain that “this year, we will also be including people who work in poultry or pig farms. And importantly, all health workers in the public and private sectors will have to be vaccinated, because we all need to stay healthy: this will not only protect health workers who come into contact with patients with flu symptoms but also protect patients who attend these health centers and hospitals.”
The President emphasized the importance of this vaccination “as flu can lead to serious complications such as otitis, bronchitis and pneumonia. And in people with chronic illnesses, it can aggravate their condition.”
The President ended her speech with an appeal to the media: “We urge you to inform the public about this campaign so that everyone knows what they need to do and will go and get vaccinated, particularly those who are most at risk. In doing so, we will be better protected when flu viruses begin to circulate.”