Personnel who, for work reasons, www are in contact with animals that could be a source of infection with non-human influenza viruses:
- Breeders
- Livestock farming workers
- Transporters of live animals
- Slaughterers and vaccinators
- Public and freelance veterinarians.
Ministry of Health published the annual Circular
Other categories for which vaccination is strongly recommended
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Blood donors - Healthy children in the age group 6 months – 6 years
- Subjects in the 60-64 age group*.
*Also for the 2022-2023 season, given the current circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, in order to reduce the probability that the aetiology of the disease is the flu virus and therefore to facilitate the differential diagnosis in the age groups of increased risk of serious illness, influenza vaccination is strongly recommended and can be offered free of charge in the 60-64 age group.
As regards health and social-health professionals who work in contact with patients, and the elderly institutionalized in residential or long-term care facilities, vaccination is strongly recommended.
On 21 April 2023, the “Prevention and control of influenza: recommendations for the 2023-2024 season” (pdf 1.2 Mb), with the most recent indications from the World Health Organization on the composition of flu vaccines and the main recipients of the flu vaccination for the next season (2023-2024) which will be offered actively and free, starting from October 2023, to subjects who, due to their personal conditions, run a greater risk of complications if they contract the influence.
- Recommendations of the Ministry of Health
- Flu – News
- 20/7/2023 – Flu vaccinations: 2022-2023 data
- 28/04/2023 – Influenza prevention and control: recommendations for the 2023-2024 season
Recommendations of the Ministry of Health
In anticipation of the flu season, the Ministry of Health publishes a Circular every year which contains recommendations for the prevention of flu through personal hygiene and protection measures and vaccination.
2022-2023 flu season (ongoing)On 6 July 2022, the Ministry of Health issued the Circular “Prevention and control of influenza: recommendations for the 2022-2023 season”, drawn up in agreement with the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS).
- Given the persistence of the epidemiological situation relating to the circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus,
- the document recommends anticipating the start of the flu vaccination campaigns starting from early October and offering the vaccination to eligible subjects at any time of the flu season , even if they show up late for vaccination.
The Circular also recommends the flu vaccination in the 6 months-6 years age group, to the elderly in the 60-64 years age group to which it can be offered free of charge; for those carrying out the health and social-health professions; for the elderly institutionalized in residential or long-term care facilities.
For further information, consult: the Circular “Prevention and control of influenza: recommendations for the 2022-2023 season”.
On February 25, 2022, WHO released vaccine composition recommendations for the 2022-2023 influenza season in the Northern Hemisphere. Read the complete document “Recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 2022-2023 northern hemisphere influenza season” and the FAQ (pdf 162 kb).
Flu season 2023-2024
On 21 April 2023, the Ministry of Health issued the Circular “Prevention and control of influenza: recommendations for the 2023-2024 season”. The document was edited by the General Directorate of Health Prevention of the Ministry, in discussions with the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, with the Interregional Coordination of Prevention and with the National Technical Consultative Group on Vaccinations (NITAG).
The text includes a description of influenza, prevention measures, WHO indications on the composition of influenza vaccines and the main recipients of influenza vaccination for the next season (2023-2024) which will be offered actively and free of charge, starting in October 2023, to subjects who, due to their personal conditions, run a greater risk of complications if they contract the flu.
For the first time, the Circular also recommends the use of boosted vaccines for over 65s. For further information, consult the complete document “Prevention and control of influenza: recommendations for the 2023-2024 season” (pdf 1.2 Mb).
- On February 24, 2023, WHO released vaccine composition recommendations for the 2023-2024 influenza season in the Northern Hemisphere.
- Read the complete document “Recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 2023-2024 northern hemisphere influenza season” and the FAQ (pdf 146 kb).
Influenza prevention: the importance of vaccination
We are in the most suitable period for vaccination: the climate tells us so, but also the temporal trend of the circulation of influenza viruses in Italy. In order to avoid contracting the flu and risking complications which in some cases can even be serious, it is necessary to promptly resort to vaccination.
According to the latest InfluNet epidemiological report (Report No. 6 of 27 November 2013), in fact, the estimated cases of flu syndrome, compared to the entire Italian population, amounted to approximately 56,000, for a total, from the beginning of surveillance of about 220,000 cases.
Meanwhile, yesterday the National Influenza Center of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità announced the first isolation of the influenza virus of the 2013-2014 season. It belongs to type A which, based on currently available data, is assumed to be related to one of the three strains contained in the vaccine currently in use.