Health authorities in the Western Cape will be offering vulnerable groups the annual flu vaccination as the winter season approaches. The Western Cape Health Department says it’s expecting a total of 120,000 flu vaccine doses between April and May 2021.
The vulnerable groups who will be eligible to receive the flu vaccine include:
- Healthcare workers
- Individuals over the age of 65 years
- People with cardiovascular disease (including chronic heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and diabetes)
- People with chronic lung disease (including asthma, TB, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Individuals living with HIV and AIDS
- Pregnant women (irrespective of stage of pregnancy)
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The flu vaccines will be distributed to clinics and day hospitals across the province.
Residents who have appointments at their local primary healthcare facility will be vaccinated when they visit their facility.
The provincial department says it will also work with old age homes and its NPO partners to vaccinate vulnerable groups.
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Officials say healthcare workers continues to be a top priority group for the 2021 flu vaccinations, which will coincide with the Covid-19 vaccinations.
The department recommends that there should be at least a 14-day gap between taking a flu vaccine and a Covid-19 vaccine.
“We advise that people still take the flu vaccine to protect themselves against flu. However, please note that the flu vaccine will not protect them against Covid-19”, the department says in a statement.