News

Tens of thousands of people in Estonia contract influenza during the peak virus season, and those most in need of protection against influenza are at-risk groups – small children up to the age of 7, pregnant women, people over 60, and minors who are at higher risk of complications and severe influenza due to their health conditions. Starting from today, people at risk can book a free vaccination appointment at their family medicine centre, numerous pharmacies, and vaccination clinics in medical institutions across Estonia.

‘Last season, nearly 39,000 people fell ill with influenza in Estonia. This is a large number of people who, in addition to suffering from the disease, may also suffer from serious complications, such as pneumonia, middle ear infection, kidney inflammation, or exacerbations of other chronic illnesses. Among the people who died from the complications of influenza last season, no one had been vaccinated, so vaccination could have saved at least 100 lives,’ said Olga Sadikova, chief specialist of the Influenza Centre of the Health Board.