The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the updated vaccines against the new corona strains manufactured by Moderna and Pfizer. In the meantime, the health funds are preparing for a flu vaccination campaign for the coming winter.
The updated corona vaccines are directed against the KP.2 strain that became dominant worldwide at the beginning of the year. Today it is no longer the dominant variety, but should also protect against the new mutations. The vaccines will also protect against previous strains. The updated vaccines are expected to be available in the US in the coming days. The Israeli Ministry of Health is also expected to approve them and replace the previous vaccines with them.
In the meantime, the health funds are preparing for the winter illness: the flu vaccination campaign will begin after the holidays, with a more severe flu season in the background than usual in the southern hemisphere. Also this year, most vaccines will be given by injection, but the cash registers have also been equipped with nasal sprays for those two years old and older.
According to the data received by “Maariv”, the General Health Insurance Fund ordered over a million flu vaccines, of which 35,000 Flumist nasal spray vaccines. Last year, only 800,000 people were vaccinated overall, and based on this rate, lower than usual amounts of vaccines were ordered this time. At Maccabi, 388,000 people were vaccinated against the flu last year, and 465,000 vaccinations were ordered for the coming season. Last year, about 170,000 insured people were vaccinated at Mohedat, and this year the fund ordered 250,000 vaccinations. Some of the vaccines will be in an increased dose for the elderly population, after it became clear that the normal dose does not provide them with sufficient protection.
In the meantime, data were published on the flu season which is still at its peak in Australia and New Zealand. According to the data, it was one of the most difficult in recent years with thousands of hospitalized patients suffering from the flu and other lung infections. According to reports from the Ministry of Health, this is one of the highest influenza incidence rates recorded in recent years. The countries of the southern hemisphere are sometimes a forecast for outbreaks of winter epidemics, since the cool season precedes the expected winter in the countries of the northern hemisphere of which Israel is one.
In the upcoming winter season, components against four different strains of the flu virus will be available: standard-dose killed vaccines containing killed virus particles that do not cause the disease; A live attenuated component that is given by nasal spray and causes the immune system to react without disease; and an increased dose of a dead component intended for the elderly.
The vaccination campaign is expected to begin after the Tishri holidays, when the coffers will actively invite the high-risk populations, including the elderly, pregnant women, immunocompromised and infants. The vaccine will also be recommended for six months to five years old, who are also at increased risk of serious illness and may even easily infect their surroundings.
Meanwhile, the health teams will be asked to get vaccinated every year to prevent infection of patients and inadequacy of the health system due to significant morbidity among medical staff. At the same time, cash registers will continue to vaccinate in regional centers also against Corona with an updated composition for the latest varieties. The two vaccines against flu and corona can be received on the same day, each vaccine in a different shoulder