The Albanian government has still not made any progress with the plans for rolling out the influenza vaccine.
On 16 June, the European Commission called on member states to launch their seasonal flu campaign, something they said would be integral to managing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Many countries started awareness campaigns back in the summer or started making preparations.
In August, the Institute of Public Health said they had begun preparations for vaccinating those most at risk from influenza and COVID-19. The vaccine will be for free and will be available to those suffering from chronic illnesses, medical staff, and teachers. It will also be given to the elderly and young children who are at risk of hospitalization and death from influenza.
By September, there was still no sign of the vaccine being available, or a mass campaign to encourage people to vaccinate. Health Minister Ogerta Manastirliu had previously said that the influenza vaccine would be a part of the government’s COVID-19 management strategy.
Throughout these months, doctors, pharmacists, and other medical professionals in both state and private medical facilities had not been given any information on either a campaign or the roll out of vaccines.
As we approach the end of September, there is still no news on when the vaccine will be available. Exit spoke to pharmacists, doctors, and an employee of the Institute of Public Health who all had no concrete knowledge of when the vaccine would come to Albania other than “maybe the beginning of October.”
Both the Ministry of Health and the IPH did not answer requests for information on how many doses would be made available and when they would start being distributed.
Last winter, prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, Albanian hospitals were struggling with particularly tough flu seasons. High numbers of cases were seen in hospitals throughout the country, and the pediatric hospital was almost at capacity.
The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone aged 6 months and older. Influenza kills up to 650,000 people every year including otherwise healthy babies, children, adults, and elderly. While the vaccine does not provide a 100% guarantee that you will not get the flu, it does lessen the symptoms and significantly decreases the chance of hospitalisation or death if the virus is contracted.
There are concerns that already under pressure health systems will not be able to cope with COVID-19 and the annual burden of influenza cases
Flu vaccinations have already started in the UK, US and other countries in the Northern Hemisphere. Albania however, has not started making the potentially life-saving vaccine available to citizens and residents.
