Seasonal influenza

Influenza vaccination

This winter, more people are likely to contract the flu, as fewer people will have acquired a natural immunity against the disease during the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, the Health Directorate is issuing a reminder that it is important to encourage your patients – especially those at risk – to get vaccinated against seasonal influenza.

Who is concerned?

Anyone can get vaccinated against the flu. However, vaccination is especially recommended for people in the following categories:

• Persons at risk of serious illness: persons over 65 years of age; pregnant women; women with a chronic disease or weakened immune system; and HIV-positive individuals.
• Persons in regular contact with persons at risk of serious illness: people in at-risk person's immediate circle, and professionals in contact with them, including hospital, retirement-home, care-centre and crèche staff, and home carers

Vaccination process

People should get vaccinated before the start of the influenza season, preferably between mid-October and mid-November. It takes about 14 days to become fully immunised, and immunisation lasts for four to six months.

For children under the age of nine, two doses, administered one month apart, are recommended.

You can also tell your patients that the flu vaccine is administered free of charge to all at-risk persons, as well as anyone over 65. The full list is published on sante.lu/grippe.

Influenza vaccination is contraindicated in people who are allergic to egg proteins.