KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health’s official spokesman, Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad, said that the seasonal winter vaccination campaign continues throughout the winter season and includes the influenza vaccine, which provides protection against four main types of the virus. More than one million doses of it have been given in Kuwait in recent years.

Al-Sanad added in a press statement on Tuesday on the occasion of the launch of the seasonal winter vaccination campaign for the ninth year in a row. The program also includes vaccination against pneumococcal bacteria, as more than one and a half million doses have been administered in the country since 2007. He explained that seasonal microbes are microorganisms that may include bacteria and viruses, and their concentration and types change with the change of seasons and differ from others.

He stated that these microbes are more active and widespread in certain seasons, which makes prevention and combating them imperative, pointing to the spread of influenza, bacterial pneumonia, and colds during the winter, while cases of food poisoning due to Salmonella bacteria increase in the summer. The influenza virus infects about one billion people annually around the world, with children under five and the elderly over 65 being the most vulnerable to the complications.

This virus also causes the death of about half a million people annually worldwide. Al-Sanad pointed out the danger of pneumococcal bacteria, which causes several diseases, including pneumonia, bacterial meningitis, bacterial blood poisoning, and even otitis media. He stressed that this bacteria causes the death of about 40 cases annually in Kuwait alone, adding that seasonal winter microbes are active in the country from mid-September to May and are at their peak from October to March.

He pointed out that the Ministry of Health attaches utmost importance to preventing these diseases, indicating that when looking at public health or when assessing the risks of contracting diseases, it is necessary not to assume that all members of society are exposed to the same level of risk of contracting diseases. There are groups more vulnerable to these diseases, including children, the elderly, healthcare providers, those with chronic diseases, pregnant women, and those with low immunity, so prevention and healthcare for these groups require special attention.

Al-Sanad stressed that the Ministry of Health aims, through these efforts, to protect all segments of society and ensure the health and safety of citizens and residents alike, based on its duties and responsibilities in preserving public health in the country and adopting means of prevention and treatment of diseases and epidemics. He pointed out that vaccinations are available in preventive health departments in hospitals and a large number of specialized centers and primary health care centers throughout the country. — KUNA