The Health Ministry released a report on Tuesday (24/12/19) showing a decrease of 1.5% in citizens getting flu shots.
According to the Ynet news site report from Saturday, some 1.8 million people have been vaccinated so far this season in Israel, as the country’s four healthcare organizations are estimated to have just 150,000 vaccines remaining.
The shortage of flu vaccines is because last year, Israel health clinics had to throw away many flu vaccines, and this year, the production of flu vaccines started later than last year. This has resulted in a huge shortage of flu vaccines. Israel is expecting more vaccines to come in the next few weeks.
In the meantime, tourists and people in Israel should try to avoid the flu. Here are some tips on flu prevention:
- It is so important to wash your hands, especially near sick people and in public places. It is effortless to get contaminated by people who have the flu. We often carry the flu before we get symptoms. So, wash your hands before eating, touching your face, and in public areas.
- Stay away from sick people – often, it is difficult to stay away from sick people, especially when it is a loved one. So, if you have to take care of sick people, don’t get near their face (don’t let them cough on you) and wash your hands before and after coming into contact with them!
It is also essential that you feel sick – not to go to work or school. It is important to rest and recover.
- Take Tami flu medicine in the first 24 hours of having the flu. Otherwise, it isn’t effective!! To receive Tami flu, you must see a family doctor within the first 24 hours of feeling sick. Tami flu must be prescribed.
If you have the flu, please recover at home and don’t expose the virus to people who don’t have the vaccine (especially children). Israel expects to get more flu vaccines in the next few weeks, and hopefully, the situation will improve.
To read more about flu symptoms and treatment, click here.