The protection provided by vaccination wears off over time, so it is important to get a flu shot every year. WHO recommends protecting your health with flu and COVID-19 vaccinations Healthcare
The winter season is approaching, and experts warn that flu cases will soon begin to rise in the European Region of the World Health Organization. Along with other respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, which have increased in circulation this summer, influenza poses a serious threat to public health, especially for older people, pregnant women and people with chronic diseases and weakened immune systems. Scientific evidence clearly shows that vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself from severe disease and complications.
The influenza virus is constantly mutating, so each year scientists must update vaccines accordingly to reflect changes in circulating strains of the virus. Moreover, the protection gained through vaccination wanes over time. This is why it is so important to get a flu shot every year. Getting a flu vaccine early in the season will help protect you and those around you from this year’s dominant strains.
Likewise, COVID-19 vaccines are also being updated as new variants of the virus emerge and the protection gained from vaccination gradually wanes. Therefore, those who are eligible for vaccination should also strengthen their immunity against COVID-19 by getting vaccinated in a timely manner.
Vaccination reduces the risk of severe disease, complications and the need for hospitalization. It saves lives and helps healthcare systems cope during the busy winter months. A recent study based on data from several countries in the European region found that between January 2022 and November 2023, COVID-19 vaccination reduced the risk of hospitalization in the six months following vaccination by more than half.
Make informed choices
The WHO Europe campaign is under the motto “No one knows your risks better than you do” and is being launched at the start of the new flu and COVID-19 season. By making informed and responsible decisions, we can protect ourselves and those around us. WHO encourages everyone, and especially those at higher risk, to be vaccinated and to take simple steps every day to protect themselves from the disease.
- Get vaccinated as soon as you are offered one opportunity.
- If you are sick, stay home.
- If you have symptoms of illness, wear a mask.
- When you sneeze, cover your mouth and nose.
- Wash your hands regularly.
- Ventilate regularly premises.
Protection from disinformation
This year we would like to especially emphasize the importance of protecting not only from viruses, but also from unreliable and deliberately false information. False or misleading claims about vaccines and protective measures can spread online, spreading confusion and mistrust and ultimately leaving people unprotected.
WHO recommends relying on reliable information: check sources, check facts and speak to trusted sources institutions such as ministries of health and WHO.
“Trust the science. Get vaccinated. Protect yourself from seasonal flu,” WHO urges.