LUCKNOW: As wait for Covid-19 vaccine continues, the demand for seasonal flu shots has risen among city residents to protect themselves from other respiratory illnesses in the wake of winter season which sees rise in influenza or flu cases caused by several viruses including swine flu.
The vaccines in demand include those for swine flu and pneumonia .
Times View
The rush for flu shots reflects a sense of panic among a section of people, whereas there are many who are taking Covid-19 casually. Those panicking need to keep patience and consult doctors before going for the flu vaccine or any other medication, while those not taking due precautions need to realise that they can check the second wave of the pandemic simply by following safety protocols.
While private dealers say the demand in November has shot up by 20-30%, doctors in government hospitals say an increasing number of patients are coming with requests for anti-flu vaccines.
The reason, say dealers and doctors, is that many people think that taking anti-flu shots will not only protect them from seasonal influenza and swine flu, but also against novel coronavirus.
Though such vaccines cannot prevent Covid-19, people feel that protecting themselves from influenza will help in checking Covid-19 complications in case they catch the novel coronavirus infection.
Jai Arora, a wholesale supplier of medicines in east UP, said, “The demand for anti-flu vaccines always increases in winter — from October till February. Until last year, we used to sell around 80-100 vaccines daily, but this year above 100 vials per day were sold in October and the number grew to average 150 daily in November.”
Satpal Singh, a Chowk-based medicine retailer, said, “We are getting demand of 40-45 vials every week in November in comparison to 20-25 last year.”
Dr Vikram Verma, a private medical practitioner in Indiranagar, said, “There is no evidence so far that anti-flu shots will check Covid-19, but this year an increasing number of people are coming for getting their kids and themselves vaccinated at the start of the winter season. Until last year, the number of such people used to be less. Earlier hardly any older people used to get themselves vaccinated, but now many in their 50s or above are coming for the shots.”
Dr Kalyan Malik, pulmonologist in a private hospital in Thakurganj, said they are getting requests for flu vaccines from people suffering from bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes.
In government hospitals too, patients suffering from respiratory viruses are coming for flu and pneumococcal (for pneumonia) vaccines.
Dr Himanshu Chaturvedi, medical superintendent at Balrampur Hospital, said,
“There has been an increase in seasonal flu patients. Many of them ask for vaccination hoping that it would at least provide protection from swine flu and other influenza viruses if not Covid-19.”
Dr Vikram Singh, medical superintendent at Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, said that awareness about vaccines has gone up which is good sign because it will protect people from flu. We are also advising vaccination to patients, especially elderly, he added.