Palma.The Balearic Ministry for Health yesterday launched its annual flu vaccine campaign and intends to vaccinate 147'800 people.
The health service has four main target areas, the over 65s, pregnant women and adults and children suffering from chronic disease.
Majorca has taken delivery of 121'800 of the vaccines, Ibiza and Formentera 16'000 and Minorca 10'000 but the government has an agreement with the distributors for an extra 20 percent if they are needed.
The Balearic Minister for Health, Carmen Castro, yesterday stressed the importance of everybody in the four main target sectors to get vaccinated and she also advised those working in the health sector or in residential homes caring for the elderly to also have the vaccine as a precaution.
And, just to remind people about the importance of the vaccine, over 1'000 posters began to be posted in key areas around the Balearics yesterday.
For the first time, the Balearics will this year form part of a special health network run by the Director General for Public Health in Madrid and made up of a team of 34 doctors which will be constantly monitoring the development of the flu virus across the country, region to region.
On the ground, participating doctors and health centres will also be taking regular samples and sending them back to the main control centre so they can be analysed, enabling the experts to study how the flu virus is evolving and spreading.
In the case of catching flu, the Minister advised plenty of rest and liquids and to pay special attention to hygiene and avoid coughing or sneezing without covering mouths and noses.