Experts warn that the program to vaccinate children against influenza in schools, which began five years ago, has been halted and has not expanded due to a lack of budget.
The influenza vaccination program in schools began in the winter of 2017-2016 with the vaccination of second-graders, and was supposed to expand every year to cover first-to-sixth grades, but the move was stopped after three years and currently only second- to fourth-graders are vaccinated.
Children up to the age of 18 are considered the target population for influenza vaccines because they tend to be infected and infected with the virus, but so far less than 5% of children have been vaccinated.
Immunization against influenza in schools proved itself in previous years, when about 10% of the children were vaccinated, but in the groups vaccinated in schools, immunization coverage reached 30% -40%.
Prof. Itamar Grotto, who started the program, said: "In order to be able to vaccinate in schools, you need to prepare a suitable infrastructure and recruit nurses, otherwise it may come at the expense of other vaccines. "Between Corona and the flu and reduce winter sickness."
Prof. Tzachi Grossman, chairman of the Association of Pediatrics, Maccabi Health Fund and Ariel University, said:
In the flu, it is known that the infection of children affects infection and even the hospitalization of adults. "
