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Childhood vaccinations in Europe. How do they fight influenza in different countries? Vaccination system in Europe

Vaccinations are now causing a huge stir in society. Any mother wants her child to be healthy and is ready to do anything for this. Some vehemently attack vaccinations, saying that the harm from them can be irreparable for the child. Others defend vaccinations, advocating forced injections for children, because even 5% refusals are enough to increase the risks of epidemics that have long been forgotten. If you think that the issue of vaccinations is purely individual, then you are mistaken. Many countries have their own rules, laws and exceptions to the vaccination schedule. Find out when and how vaccinations are done around the world.

1. Türkiye

If in the CIS countries you can still argue with doctors and download your license, then in Turkey the conversation is short. All infants are forced to receive their first vaccinations, and the mother’s opinion is considered last. The state is very concerned about this issue and jokes here are bad. Vaccination is compulsory, the authorities strictly control all stages and store reports electronically. This personal vaccination calendar can be compared to an identification code. Like ours, they register at the hospital there, but your personal doctor will also definitely remind you that it’s time to go for an injection. You will definitely be given a tetanus vaccine. What’s interesting is that all vaccinations in the country are free, with the exception of rotavirus. Here you will have to pay about 45 dollars.

2. Norway

Vaccination is commonplace in this country. But the state doesn’t monitor the schedule here; everything is left to the parents. There is no pressure on them, they make their own decisions. In general, all pediatrics, and medicine in general in Norway, is very democratic. But at the same time, 90% of the population still gets vaccinated - educational programs are working at full capacity. That is why there are practically no epidemics here. The vaccination calendar is the same as in the CIS countries. But if you come to Norway for permanent residence and give birth, you will additionally be offered vaccinations against hepatitis, since this disease is practically not found among the locals.

3. UK

All vaccinations are basically free. By the way, here they are also optional, at the request of the parents, but you need to be prepared for the fact that without them you can be refused at school or kindergarten. Many people are pleased with the fact that they receive free vaccinations against cervical cancer. Society as a whole has a positive attitude towards vaccination, although there are opponents and entire communities of anti-vaxxers. Some parents believe that vaccination is something like good manners. By the way, I am very glad that in the UK adults can also get vaccinated every year - pregnant women and the elderly receive flu shots for free. The UK is one of the countries where vaccines are not a perfect panacea. This way you can apply for compensation if something goes wrong with your child after the injection.

4. Italy

Recently, in September, Italy passed a law making childhood vaccinations mandatory until the age of 16. Last year, according to statistics, there were even several deaths among those children who did not receive injections. Therefore, the authorities sounded the alarm. Also, a vaccine against cervical cancer is mandatory for girls here. In Italy, your child will not be accepted into either a private or public kindergarten without a certificate of all vaccinations. Vaccination is carried out against almost everything: whooping cough, diphtheria, measles, chickenpox, hepatitis, tetanus, and so on. Even if you were accepted into a school or kindergarten, but it later turns out that you don’t have any vaccinations, you will face an impressive fine of 7,500 euros.

5. France

So far, France does not have such strict vaccination measures, but the authorities are seriously planning to introduce mandatory vaccinations from 2018. This decision was made after deaths from measles in children who were not given injections. The French Prime Minister said the situation is unacceptable in the country where the first vaccines were invented. Now three vaccinations are required here - against polio, tetanus and diphtheria. Others are simply highly recommended by a doctor. And yes, without certificates they will not be accepted into kindergartens or schools.

6. Latvia

The situation here is, on the one hand, similar to the CIS countries, and on the other, similar to Europe. For example, it is indeed possible to write a refusal to receive vaccinations. But educational activities are well established, and over the past ten years, parents have increasingly preferred vaccination rather than refusal. By the way, up to 18 years of age, you can count on free injections against major diseases and pathogens.

7. Spain

The healthcare system in Spain has made several leaps forward in recent years, which are reflected in the quality and level of public confidence. Of course, everywhere there is a parent who refuses vaccines, but their percentage in the country is low. People here are willing to get vaccinated and generally visit pediatricians. Vaccinations against chickenpox, papillomas, and infalitis are free, but against tuberculosis they are paid and not mandatory. The parent himself must insist that the child have it done. Here you will be given an international certificate, which is recognized by both the US and EU countries, stating that you have completed the basic vaccination.

8. Canada

In Canada, everything is very democratic - no one forces you to do anything. But on the other hand, the drugs, storage system and healthcare in general are of very high quality, so the chances of complications are minimal. Of course, every mother wants to, but it’s better to choose options from the list and not ignore trips to the hospital. Basic vaccinations are free, and given that Canada is very attractive for emigrants, and the influx of people from Pakistan, India and other countries is large, the likelihood of contracting the disease increases. In addition to the main injections for infants and in the first years of life, in grades 5-6 there is a global vaccination against papilloma. By the way, all health workers here are vaccinated without fail.

9. Austria

Vaccinations are purely voluntary. When you are admitted to a kindergarten or school, you will, of course, be required to provide a certificate, but they will probably admit you without injections. Although some establishments have very strict policies regarding this. The current vaccination plan from the country’s sanitary council is adopted every year, so the family doctor, when registering, will recommend a “minimum program” for a safe and comfortable existence. In Austria, they are of the opinion that responsibility for the lives and health of children rests entirely with parents. But 13 basic jabs, including drugs for polio, whooping cough and meningitis, are free. But the chickenpox vaccination is paid for.

10. Serbia

Just a few years ago, the anti-vaccination movement in Serbia was so huge that it led to a 15% decrease in childhood vaccinations. Accordingly, the number of diseases and epidemics increased. That is why compulsory vaccination is now in force here. The state will pay for basic vaccinations, including drugs for whooping cough, chickenpox, measles and polio. But if you want to refuse partially or completely, you will pay an impressive fine - from 500 to 1000 euros. This is really a lot for Serbia. There will also be problems with entering kindergarten or school.

11. Georgia

The population here is quite conservative, so vaccinations are done in most cases. There are very few refuseniks. Moreover, statistics for Georgia show that every year the percentage of children who receive DPT (whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus vaccination) is growing. Many parents now choose vaccination in private clinics because it is believed that the quality of the drugs here is higher.

12. Israel

A country in which medicine is extraordinarily developed and where our compatriots strive for quality treatment, naturally is very attentive to vaccination. Here it is forced. You have to think about the tuberculosis vaccination yourself, but other drugs must be injected. Moreover, developments are constantly underway here for safer and more effective drugs, so that complications are kept to a minimum.

13. USA

Each state has its own requirements for vaccinations and this adds headaches to parents. But despite the origins of the anti-vaccine movement, the population here is sympathetic to the need to get injections. They are considered something like, especially considering that even some specialized pharmacies can make them for you. If you want to obtain a residence permit or send your child to kindergarten, school or university, you will have to provide a certificate of basic vaccinations. But some parents get out of it, since refusal is possible on the basis of religion. However, if a measles or flu epidemic suddenly breaks out at school, a child without a vaccine must be left at home.

14. Belgium

The law on compulsory vaccination was recently repealed here because the anti-vaccination movement has reached unprecedented proportions. There were even actions by women regarding the fact that every mother herself has the right to decide such issues regarding the health of the child. But government authorities will ask you to the fullest extent when entering school. They also left one mandatory vaccination for everyone here - against polio.

15. Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic you can also write a refusal, but the health authorities here act wiser. The country is conducting large-scale propaganda for injections, articles are constantly written in newspapers and programs are broadcast on TV. You may not be accepted into school without vaccination; you will have to look for an institution where you will be accepted. Here they give free vaccines against hepatitis B, tetanus, whooping cough and diphtheria, polio and tuberculosis and much more. Also, recently a policy of fines has been introduced. Child without vaccination – pay approximately 200 euros.

16. Germany

The decision on which vaccinations are relevant and needed this year is made by the Standing Vaccination Commission. Conservative Germans listen to her, despite the fact that vaccination is not mandatory. Now in Germany the “standard set” includes drugs for whooping cough, tetanus, diphtheria, polio, measles, rubella, chickenpox, smallpox, hepatitis B. For children under 18 years of age, vaccines are free, and adults also do not pay for them, because many There is insurance that covers this item.

17. Netherlands

The program is voluntary, but the population trusts the health care system and is well informed. Expired drugs are immediately disposed of, this is closely monitored by the authorities, and high-quality vaccines are also purchased. No one is vaccinated at school; parents themselves must take their children to the hospital and take care of this issue. Vaccination takes place in four phases and is free. They give injections not only against the main pathogens, but also against cervical cancer and papillomas.

18. Estonia

There is also a positive attitude towards vaccinations and good information among the population. The first injections are given directly to infants in the hospital after birth, in the first three days. Then the usual schedule, parents also bring their children themselves. But the family doctor will definitely remind you that you need to get vaccinated soon. As in other countries, without a certificate there will be problems with kindergarten and school.

19. Poland

In Poland, everything is serious with vaccinations. Here they are not obligatory, but they will be constantly recommended to you, and the child will not be allowed into kindergarten, classes, or school without them. Many places have even introduced fines for refusing parents. There are many anti-vaxxers here, so the government has chosen this strategy to combat them. After joining the EU, the population began to trust healthcare more, as they are not afraid of low-quality drugs.

20. China

In China, refusals are not something to joke about. There are a lot of things here that are not to be joked about. In the maternity hospital they will not ask you whether you are for or against. Only a few manage to write some papers and achieve something. The government of such a densely populated country sees salvation only in tough policies, otherwise epidemics will break out instantly. But it's also fair to say that China has some of the highest quality and most tested vaccinations in the world.

21. UAE

Since a huge number of expats and tourists come to Dubai every year, the authorities here are closely monitoring the vaccination of the population. All medications are free for citizens here, and their list is much longer than in Europe. Here you will receive not only basic vaccinations, but will also pay attention to all types of hepatitis, rotavirus, and cervical cancer.

22. Cyprus

There are practically no anti-vaxxers in Cyprus. The population trusts doctors and goes to get vaccinated themselves. However, they begin to do them here strictly from 2 months, and not from birth. In addition, the tuberculosis vaccine is not mandatory; it is often given in private clinics upon request.

23. Russia

Vaccinations are mandatory, but if parents write a refusal, they will not get anything for it. The country uses domestic and foreign drugs in equal proportions. There may be difficulties with any kindergartens, schools and sections if there are no vaccinations. The very first vaccines are administered in the maternity hospital - against hepatitis B (on the first day of life), then against tuberculosis (on the third day). At three months, a combined injection against whooping cough, diphtheria, polio, and tetanus (DTP) is given. All vaccinations are free for children.

24. Ukraine

Vaccination is not mandatory, although most likely you will not be accepted into kindergarten or school without basic vaccinations. Unfortunately, a huge number of parents refuse vaccinations, citing their poor quality. According to all the rules, in the first year of life they give injections against tetanus, whooping cough, diphtheria (DTP), tuberculosis, and polio. Parents also note that public hospitals do not always have vaccines and they have to wait their turn, so they often turn to private clinics. The first to receive vaccinations against hepatitis B and tuberculosis are still in the maternity hospital. In government institutions, medications are free for children under 16 years of age.

25. Belarus

In this country, vaccinations are compulsory. Moreover, when we say that certificates of the main 12 injections are needed for kindergarten and school, we mean that it will really be difficult for you without it, despite all the tricks. In the first days, the child is vaccinated against hepatitis B and tuberculosis. Then another 10 injections are added, including vaccines against whooping cough, tetanus, rubella, polio, diphtheria, and measles. Please note that in Belarus they even give vaccinations against influenza and Haemophilus influenzae. So we can safely say that vaccination is respected in the country.

Every mentality and country is different, but almost everywhere in the world, vaccinations are an integral part of the healthcare system. It’s up to you to decide, but it’s better to weigh the pros and cons first, based on scientific literature and articles.

The first and most important question is: should you get a flu shot?

Recent events related to the swine flu pandemic have given rise to serious criticism of the World Health Organization from the scientific community. There followed demands to separate the commercial interests of vaccine and antiviral drug manufacturers from the tasks of practical healthcare.

Therefore, in most European countries, flu vaccination ceases to be a “carpet” for everyone. WHO identifies risk groups for which this vaccine is recommended, and most healthy young people are no longer covered by these recommendations. In the US, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) continues to recommend vaccination for all people over six months of age.

The fact is that the flu vaccine, unlike other vaccinations, forms a very unstable immunity: after 6-12 months, vaccine antibodies drop below the protective level. In this case, T-cell immunity is not formed, as after suffering from influenza, while it is T-lymphocytes that determine long-term immune memory and protect us from other strains of the same type of influenza for almost the rest of our lives.

This is why people who were previously exposed to the H1N1 virus type (for example, during the 1977 pandemic) are practically not sick from the “swine” strain that has been circulating since the spring of 2009. Such immunity after an infection forms a kind of broad “immune layer” of the population, which protects both elderly people, whose immunity weakens due to the involution of the thymus gland, and children, whose immunity is not yet working.

In this regard, the World Health Organization proposes moving away from universal vaccination against influenza and focusing efforts on risk groups. These include (in order of priority):

Persons living in homes for the elderly, disabled, etc.;

Persons with chronic pathologies: heart disease, respiratory system (frequently suffering from bronchitis, asthmatics, etc.), diabetes mellitus, etc.;

Elderly persons (65 years and older);

Other groups such as pregnant women, health care personnel and others performing essential public functions, and children aged 6 months to 2 years

Others are asked to make their own decisions. For example, if you are new parents, it is better to get vaccinated so as not to infect your baby. It also wouldn’t hurt to get vaccinated if you have planned an important business trip or vacation in the winter, when the flu is most active.

Can the vaccine cause mild flu?

None of the injectable influenza vaccines contain viruses capable of replication, and therefore, neither theoretically nor practically, such vaccinations are capable of causing influenza even in its mildest form.

Any vaccination can cause a reaction in the form of aseptic inflammation at the injection site (redness, swelling, local pain), malaise and mild fever, but, as a rule, such reactions are rare and short-lived (one day, rarely up to three). Serious adverse reactions, such as anaphylaxis to vaccine components, are extremely rare. They are so rare that as of this year in the United States it is no longer recommended to give a medical exemption from the vaccine, even to people with a known egg allergy.

The only absolute contraindication to vaccination is a severe reaction to a previous vaccination.

How effective is the flu vaccine?

Studies show that if the composition of the vaccine matches the circulating strains of the virus, the chances of getting the flu are reduced by 70-90%, which, you see, is not bad at all.

The vaccine works best in healthy young people and is less effective in children and older people. The total effectiveness of the 2010-11 season vaccine in all age groups was about 60%.

How often do scientists make mistakes when choosing strains for a vaccine?

Not as often as the “anti-vaxxers” misinform us. In 18 of the last 21 seasons, the vaccine was chosen well.

Only in the 1997-98 season did the vaccine strains completely mismatch with the circulating ones, and in the 1992-93, 2003-04, 2007-08 seasons the match was not optimal, which led to the low effectiveness of the vaccine compared to other seasons.

In 2009-10, the “swine” flu came, against which the developed vaccine also did not work, and an effective one became available very late, but the way things are, we are not insured against the emergence of a new pandemic strain of influenza.

Is the vaccine completely useless if scientists have chosen the wrong composition for this season?

Even if the antigenic composition of the vaccine does not match the seasonal flu, it may partially work. Although the vaccine is most effective against strains whose antigens are included in its composition, it also provides some protection against closely related viruses.

Of course, such vaccine immunity is significantly inferior in effectiveness and duration of action to immunity acquired after an illness, but for risk groups even such prevention is essential.

Thus, in the 2003-04 season, when the composition of the vaccine was not optimal, post-vaccination immunity was 60% effective in people 50-64 years old who did not have severe diseases, and 48% in the same age category with chronic pathology. Moreover, the likelihood of complications from influenza also decreased - vaccinated people were hospitalized much less often. The effectiveness of the suboptimal vaccine for children in the same season was 50%.

However, it also happens that circulating influenza viruses turn out to be unrelated to vaccine antigens, and then such a vaccine does not work at all.

Is it too late to get vaccinated in November-December?

It is recommended to get vaccinated against influenza as soon as the vaccine becomes available in September, as protective vaccine immunity takes at least two weeks to develop. However, given that the peak incidence of seasonal flu often occurs in the middle of winter, it is not too late to get vaccinated in December.

Late vaccination often coincides with the height of various acute respiratory viral infections, due to which many mistakenly associate the injection with the subsequent development of a cold, and this is another reason why health services are rushing to vaccinate the population as early as possible.

Can I get the vaccine if I just had a cold?

It all depends on the severity of the disease. If ARVI was accompanied by severe fever or bacterial complications, you should be vaccinated no earlier than a month after recovery. If we are talking about a moderate or mild infection, you can get vaccinated 1-2 weeks after the temperature normalizes. To make a decision, I advise you not to guess, but to consult your doctor.

Is it possible to combine the flu vaccine with another one?

Yes, split and subunit vaccines are compatible with all vaccines in any combination.

What is the intradermal influenza vaccine?

This year, the United States began to vaccinate with an intradermal vaccine patented by the French company Sanofi-Pasteur. The intradermal form of vaccination allows the use of a very short and thin needle, which makes the injection painless.

However, the basic idea is to introduce the antigen into an area of ​​high concentration of dendritic cells in the skin. It is for the discovery of these cells and the study of their role in immunity. This route of administration forms good immunity using a smaller dose of antigens.

For obvious reasons, intradermal vaccination is accompanied by more noticeable reactions at the injection site, but all of them are short-lived. The vaccine has already proven itself well in Europe and America, but our officials are in no hurry to approve its use in Russia, citing its high reactogenicity. Therefore, it is not yet available to Russians.

Domestic healthcare was once, if not ahead of the rest, then at a very high level. But in the 90s of the last century, the state mistakenly decided that this area should be regulated by market methods, acting on the principle of “give doctors a scalpel and let them do as they please.” But when it comes to health, the average citizen does not become a full-fledged party to a certain transaction (like buying a refrigerator), but finds himself practically in bondage to a man in a white coat, because he does not know why something hurts him and how long it will last .

By now, the consequences of this short-sighted step have been fully realized. According to experts, in one year alone, about 1,200 attacks by patients on medical staff are recorded. And this surge in violence, they believe, is a kind of response from a desperate population to the government’s ongoing aggressive policies in this area.

And there is no doubt that it really is, in essence, punitive. What is the recent statement of the Minister of Health worth? Veronica Skvortsova about her department’s intention to achieve financial “punishment” for the parents of those children who refused their influenza vaccination, namely, changes in the payment of sick leave to care for a child in case of illness.

According to the President of the All-Russian public organization “League of Patient Advocates” Alexandra Saverskogo, The Ministry of Health has been looking around for more than a year now to see where it can get more money. Only instead of internal optimization paths, he sees only one source, that is, the patient.

The latter is a priori considered guilty by medical officials. He smokes, drinks, does not get vaccinated, does not undergo medical examination, and for some reason demands expensive foreign medicines instead of our cheap ones. And in general, for some reason, he gets sick, wasting public money. Although, by the way, he had already, by and large, paid for all the expenses associated with his treatment in advance. According to the expert’s calculations, the annual total budget of the healthcare sector at all levels is 3.2 trillion rubles, and about six (!) trillion are also paid annually into the coffers of the system by ordinary citizens in the form of taxes and contributions. Meanwhile, the cost of salaries for doctors and junior staff during the same period is only one and a half trillion. The question of where the rest of the money goes is perhaps rhetorical.

“Naturally, the proposed norm violates the rights of citizens,” Saversky comments on the situation. - What kind of discrimination is this? We do not have any additional conditions for issuing sick leave for child care. They want to create them. However, this will not be good for the doctor, not the mother, and not the child, but only for the state. But this is only a first, foolish approximation. Because then this child will become very ill, the mother will lose her job, and a real nightmare will begin in the clinic, because the mother will not remain silent. Does the Ministry of Health want to fight with mothers? Another question is who is really sick in the head here. Who is all this “concern” really about? Yes, a statement was subsequently made that, supposedly, the words were misunderstood. But, excuse me, this is the minister speaking! Not some kind of doll. So we take this quite seriously. And the Social Security Fund picked up the idea. They're not at all concerned about health there, it's just accounting, and here - oh, and money.

“SP”: “But now there is talk that almost any day now the world will be covered by a new wave of influenza, more terrible and deadly than all the previous “horse”, “chicken” and “pork” versions. And there is no way to do this without vaccination. In principle, how effective is the “flu shot” and is there no alternative? And how can one guess what exactly needs to be injected if, as the doctors themselves admit, virus strains are constantly mutating?

— Regarding the first question, it should first of all be noted that all vaccines and vaccinations are different. There are certainly useful and safe ones, such as for tetanus. There are quite harmful and dangerous ones, such as BCG. And there are dangerous, but senseless ones. These are, in particular, flu vaccines. Let me remind you a little of the story. The first in a series of these funny names, which we all already remember and know well, was the so-called atypical pneumonia. Then there was bird flu, then swine flu. Between these events, the head of the Hong Kong medical service Margaret Chan, who handled SARS well, became head of the World Health Organization. And a very interesting story happened with the “swine” flu, which WHO fought under her leadership. To make it more clear, let me explain - about 500 million people worldwide suffer from seasonal flu every year. This is considered an epidemic. A pandemic is a higher level of danger. So, when the “swine” strain appeared and only 10 thousand people fell ill with it, the WHO declared a pandemic, carefully changing its definition a month before the appearance of this particular virus. A year later, after no pandemic occurred despite its declaration, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe accused the WHO of making such a decision under pressure from the so-called “Big Pharma” ( Lobby of drug manufacturers - author.). I wondered how long it would be before another madness was announced. It turned out not much. Apparently, they gave the people a little rest and started playing the old record again.

In answer to the second question, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that a year and a half ago, the Russian Minister of Health accused the WHO that the organization made a mistake in determining the flu strain, and all vaccines, in fact, could simply be thrown into the toilet. But let me note that nothing too terrible happened. That is, tens of millions of people were given the wrong vaccines, and nothing happened.

“SP”: — But the flu is a serious disease that requires serious treatment.

— Experts in evidence-based medicine have long said that all this is nonsense. Both vaccines are nonsense and treatments are nonsense. That in fact it is a condition that can normally be cured on its own. It is only important to catch its consequences in time. Because people die not from the flu itself, but from its consequences, most often from pneumonia. And the main task of healthcare is to catch these very moments. Firstly, it's a little cheaper. Because it’s one thing to vaccinate tens of millions when many fewer people are sick. Secondly, if you vaccinate a child with a weakened immune system, there is a high probability that he will have serious problems such as damage to the central nervous system. Finally, the only studies that at least confirm the effectiveness of vaccination concern people over 65 years of age. There is no other evidence of effectiveness at all.

“SP”: — Does our Ministry of Health catch those very post-influenza complications that you talked about? And why, by the way, did Veronica Skvortsova leave Russians no other choice regarding vaccines other than Russian drugs, excluding the purchase of foreign analogues?

- No, our healthcare does nothing like that. As for Russian vaccines, you understand perfectly well that now, unfortunately, we are in an undeclared economic war with the whole world, during which we are trying to make everything domestic. What quality it turns out to be is, alas, a secondary question. Although it’s a shame, because the same doctors swear a lot about this.

“SP”: — So, it turns out that this lobbying for Russian vaccines is not happening because they are more effective and of better quality?

— First of all, this is, of course, politics. Then the economy. Only in third place are the interests of the manufacturer itself, and only then safety. And, unfortunately, we do not conduct any monitoring of the consequences of using drugs in Russia.

"SP": - What is the reason?

— Firstly, doctors are simply afraid to talk about the consequences. As soon as one of them does this, he will immediately be accused of vaccinating a child who was not very healthy. This “trick” was apparently invented by pharmaceutical companies - if a person became ill after vaccination, it means that he was initially unwell. That is, in any case, the last resort will be the doctor who directly injected the drug. Secondly, even if they do this, an interesting thing happens. Let me give you an example. In Surgut, from 2000 to 2007, one mother collected interesting statistics - three deaths and four serious complications occurred in children after a flu shot, and each one had a “post-vaccination complication” clearly recorded in the card. All this was sent to me, and I look at the collected documents and see a conclusion from the Institute Tarasevich, where the following is literally written: “since such consequences are not described in the world scientific literature, we cannot establish a cause-and-effect relationship.” Cool? After all, there may actually be hundreds of cases, but as long as they are not described by someone, they will never be recognized.

Here is a more recent example, from last year. A normal healthy one-year-old baby becomes hearing impaired a week after getting a flu shot. Our doctors say that it’s all genetics’ fault; the demand, therefore, comes from the parents. Parents raise money from acquaintances and friends, go to a German clinic, and the doctors there say - yes, it’s genetics, but the flu vaccine was the trigger.

“SP”: - Then what happens? Our Ministry of Health injects our children with unknown things that trigger genetic diseases, but the parents are to blame for this?

“SP”: — So why promote such drugs to the market? Who benefits from this?

- Well, how it all happens, at first there was politics - we must respond to the sanctions. Here they answered. Naturally, within the framework of this policy there are people, the same manufacturers, representatives of the Ministry of Health, who report “to the top” that the issues are being successfully resolved. Of course, I know people, both “low-level” doctors and members of the presidential administration, who understand perfectly well that these drugs are bad. But since this is a political decision, it is very difficult to do anything. Moreover, there is no monitoring, so it seems that everything around is beautiful, covered in pink chocolate.

“SP” - It turns out that we are solving foreign policy problems without taking into account...

— With civilian casualties, yes.

Let's say you're not an anti-vaxxer parent, and you vaccinate your child on a schedule, but thoughtfully. Another “flu” season is approaching, the atmosphere is heating up, and last year the family was pretty battered by viruses. Are you seriously thinking about getting a flu shot this time?


People often oppose vaccination with the following arguments: “I took the vaccine last year, felt unwell afterwards, got sick, and won’t do it again.” Please comment.

Most likely, we are not talking about a disease after vaccination, but about a post-vaccination reaction. Is this normal, is this how the vaccine works? What might you encounter? Induration, redness of the skin at the site of vaccine administration, mild malaise, low fever. All these symptoms may appear within three days after vaccination. Or they may not show up. Who might actually be in trouble? Vaccines are created using chicken egg white, and some vaccines contain an antibiotic. Therefore, for allergy sufferers, those who react to these components, the use of the vaccine is contraindicated. If you or your child have similar or other health problems, then the vaccine should be selected together with your doctor or immunologist. If certain recommendations are followed, side effects are reduced to a minimum.

After vaccination, can I continue to go to school, work, and lead my usual social life?

Not really. The introduction of a vaccine causes a strain on the immune system. That is why we give recommendations - for the first three days, when post-vaccination reactions are expected, not to visit theaters, cinemas, or shopping centers. This does not mean that we advocate locking ourselves within four walls; we even recommend walks in the fresh air. Of course, when someone in the family is vaccinated, it is optimal that everyone else is healthy at that moment.


Half of St. Petersburg constantly walks around with a slight runny nose and coughs. There is practically no ideal healthy state for the whole family. Is it possible to get vaccinated in this case?

If allergies and possible pathologies are excluded - acute infectious diseases, which may be accompanied by a prolonged cough, runny nose, then you can get vaccinated. But if a person is in a hotbed of exposure to some kind of infection and everyone around him is sick, then it is better not to get vaccinated. In this case, there must be very serious epidemiological justification for vaccination.

Is vaccination a 100% guarantee against the flu?

Vaccination is the only way to protect yourself from serious complications. Unfortunately, this does not mean that you will 100 percent not get sick at all. But how dangerous are the forms of flu that we vaccinate against? The development of severe complications, those that can lead to death. Last year we managed to avoid a pandemic. We see from our employees that those who were ill last year are going and getting vaccinated this year.

You often hear: “I won’t get vaccinated, I’ll skip it, this is nonsense...”. What is your attitude to this position?

If you ask my personal opinion, I think this is obscurantism. When a person near you dies from complications of the flu, then you begin to look at vaccinations differently.

But is it possible to cheat on the flu: not to get vaccinated, just in case, stock up on proven anti-flu drugs and use them, if anything?

Are you talking about the drugs Tamiflu and Relenza? These are very expensive and not unconditional medications. For example, Tamiflu is not currently available in suspensions. It is inconvenient for children to take. The drug "Relenza" is designed for ages from five years. These drugs are not domestically produced, and there are supply interruptions. I believe that vaccination is the optimal prevention. And then, how quickly will you pop up even if you take these medications? What if you have elderly relatives nearby who may become infected? Vaccination is also a manifestation of social responsibility.

What about in Europe? Candidate of Medical Sciences, Doctor of Philosophy, General Practitioner Alexander Danilov (Lund, Sweden) tells how vaccination is carried out in Sweden.

  • coronary heart disease;
  • lung disease - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or severe asthma;
  • type 1 or type 2 diabetes;
  • severe immunodeficiency due to illness or treatment;
  • severe chronic liver or kidney failure;
  • very heavy weight;
  • a neuromuscular disease that affects breathing.

Risk groups also include:

  • pregnant women;
  • people aged 65+.

Medical personnel who provide care to patients at risk are recommended to be vaccinated.

In Sweden, pregnancy is not a contraindication for vaccination. On the contrary, vaccination during pregnancy also provides immunity to the newborn. It is still recommended to get vaccinated after the 16th week of pregnancy, but if the expectant mother belongs to one of the risk groups, then it is recommended to get vaccinated earlier. You can also get vaccinated while breastfeeding. Vaccination of children is carried out only when indicated. As for older patients, our goal is to vaccinate more than 60% of people over 65 years of age.

If they are at risk, I explain to my patients that they should get vaccinated to avoid serious complications. Most people who get vaccinated do not get the flu. If a vaccinated person does get sick, the disease progresses much easier. We warn patients that the vaccine is only valid for a year. Next year you will need to get vaccinated again.

Sweden does not insist on vaccination of those who do not belong to a risk group. It is believed that for such people the risk of complications is much lower. The outpatient department is responsible for the majority of vaccinations performed. The decision to vaccinate patients from risk groups, as well as all other categories, is made by the doctor.”

The flu is raging in Europe. In particular, in the UK, 155 people have already died from it in a month. Will the epidemic bypass Russia this year or should we still prepare for the arrival of the flu?

Rospotrebnadzor is in no hurry to make statements yet. The epidemic has so far been avoided thanks to the high level of vaccination of the population. Thus, even before the start of the season of viral infections, over 42 percent of the country’s residents received flu vaccinations. And this allows us to avoid high morbidity rates for now. There is influenza in the country, but so far we are talking about isolated cases. Laboratory technicians basically “seed out” H1N1. That is, the so-called swine flu. Basically, only viruses of non-influenza etiology are currently circulating in the regions. And in the USA, for example, a different strain is now rampant. 40 children have already died from it.

The flu is spreading so intensely that schools in 11 American states have been quarantined. American doctors declare a large-scale epidemic and predict that by March 34 million people in the country may have the flu. In Russia, sanitary doctors also predict a flu epidemic. Presumably, it will begin in mid-February this year. And in Yakutia, the flu has already made itself known.

Exceeding weekly epidemic thresholds for all age groups was recorded in four districts - Amginsky, Anabarsky, Nizhnekolymsky and Olekminsky, as well as in the city of Yakutsk. The study showed that the A virus, H3N2, is circulating in the region.

Pay attention! The peak incidence of influenza occurs in January - February, reports rosregistr. In some cases, cases of the disease appear in early spring, so people should pay special attention to their health for 1-2 months.

During the cold season, many people suffer from weakened immunity. In cold weather, people are often vulnerable to various colds. Even a decrease in the number of walks and a lack of nutrients in food lead to a decrease in immune defense and increased susceptibility to various bacteria and viruses.

The ideal environment for the development of influenza is an air temperature of -5 to +5 degrees Celsius. It is this temperature regime that leads to the active spread of viruses. Taking into account the fact that this temperature corresponds to the period from November to March, it takes a long time to fight the virus and take care of your health. The latest news about influenza 2018 in Russia makes it clear when it is recommended to closely monitor your health and carry out enhanced prevention.

Another important point is the active development of influenza with a decrease in air humidity. A decrease in temperature leads to an increase in air dryness, due to which the human body is unable to show resistance to various viral diseases.

Doctors note that the flu usually affects people through the respiratory tract. Dry mucous membranes and cooling air facilitate the easy penetration of bacteria into the human body.

Almost anyone can become infected with the flu, but some people are most vulnerable:

Small children and infants;
pregnant and lactating women;
elderly people;
cancer patients;
HIV-infected;
people who suffer from chronic diseases of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

In fact, every person should take care to strengthen their immune system and increase their resistance to viral diseases. Influenza A virus is usually transmitted in two ways: airborne droplets and airborne dust. For this reason, being on the street and in other public places increases the risk of contracting viral diseases.

Important! Contacts with people who have the flu are dangerous from the first minutes the viruses enter the body and up to a week. A carrier of the virus with initial signs of the disease can already shed the virus even with a simple conversation, so people with weakened immune systems should take special care. It should be noted that infection is possible even at a distance of 1 – 3 meters.

Doctors note that during epidemics it is advisable to maintain immunity and avoid constant contact with infected people. In 2018, epidemics are expected not only in Russia, but also in Australia, the United States of America, Great Britain and France, so it is recommended to temporarily postpone tourist trips.

Many people are interested in getting vaccinated. It is advisable to get vaccinated in the fall so that immunity has time to form. At the same time, emergency vaccination, which will be carried out taking into account numerous rules, guarantees an increase in immunity to viruses in just 2 weeks.

Many people believe that flu shots are ineffective and may even increase the risk of infection. Official statistics confirm that this opinion is a common misconception, but even correctly and timely vaccination cannot guarantee protection of the body from influenza. Viruses often mutate, making it impossible to create a universal cure.

Conventional flu vaccines are developed annually, and it is advisable to focus on the latest strains of the disease. The drugs must recognize viruses by their protein shell for subsequent blocking, as a result of which a high level of protection of the body from influenza infection is guaranteed. Vaccines must be developed regularly as they lose effectiveness over time.

Scientists suggest the need to develop a unique drug for vaccination. It is noted that the virus should not be recognized by its shell. It will be more effective to recognize the virus by specific proteins that remain the same even after mutation. The latest news about influenza 2018 in Russia indicates that modern vaccines should block enzymes that contribute to the development of the disease and promptly stop the spread of viruses in the human body. As a result, the pathogen can die within a day.

Clinical trials of the vaccine still remain relevant, since the product must be guaranteed safe for the human body. For this reason, it is difficult to accurately predict the date when a fundamental change in the market for medicines and vaccines will occur. The most important thing is to closely follow news about a possible flu epidemic and take care of improving your immune system.

Doctors note that at the end of January - February there will be a rapid increase in cases of not only ARVI, but also influenza. The following pattern of epidemic development is expected:

Michigan – January – February;
Brisbane - February;
Australia – February – March.

Fact! In 2018, the influenza virus in Russia may come from the south, so a later period of the epidemic is expected with a possible brighter clinical picture.

If symptoms appear, it is advisable to consult a doctor as soon as possible to begin effective treatment. In this case, you need to take into account the main differences between the flu and a cold.

1. The flu usually goes away without a runny nose. Nasal congestion and sinusitis usually develop later, as they are caused by secondary infection due to weakened immunity.

2. Hyperthermia. The flu is characterized by a temperature of about 38 degrees Celsius, and in severe cases it can reach 41.

3. The flu causes migraines, muscle pain, discomfort in the chest and eyes.

4. Gastrointestinal disorder, which is caused by severe intoxication of the body. For this reason, patients often suffer from diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

5. The speed of development of the clinical picture. With the flu, symptoms appear immediately.

Self-medication for the flu is contraindicated, so it is advisable to take care of timely consultation with a doctor for a course of treatment.

During an influenza epidemic, it is advisable to remember about proper prevention.

1. Social etiquette and personal hygiene are the basis for preventing the rapid development of influenza.

2. Labor feats are undesirable for those people who have the flu. During illness, it is advisable to remain in bed, drink plenty of fluids, and take prescribed medications.

3. When communicating with someone who has the flu, you need to maintain a distance of at least a meter. However, when you sneeze, the bacilli fly up to a distance of 10 meters.

4. It is advisable to give up active leisure. In Soviet times, during the flu epidemic, New Year's performances were canceled and museums and exhibitions were closed. Now these measures are practically not taken, but people must independently limit their stay in crowded places to guarantee the protection of their health.

Proper prevention and strengthening the immune system reduce the risk of infection. The latest news about influenza 2018 in Russia allows you to closely monitor the situation to reduce the risk of contracting a viral disease and ensure that you take care of your health.

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