Minister of Health Mercedes Juan and the National Soccer Team Head Coach Miguel ‘El Piojo’ Herrera inaugurated the governmental strategy ‘Vaccination Ambassadors: Now, Seasonal Influenza’, which focuses on promoting prevention strategies against the disease.
During the event conducted in the Central Courtyard of the Health Ministry, Dr. Juan launched the Ambassadors for Influenza Vaccination Campaign, while ensuring that sport is importantly linked to health. This is why, the support of sport’s distinguished figure Miguel Herrera, who will act as ambassador for this campaign, will provide a major impact in the called for people to receive the benefits of vaccination to prevent influenza.
Minister Mercedes Juan said that an ambassador with such renown and charisma as Miguel Herrera, plus the interest Mexicans have for football allow having this alliance to support health activities.
She said the national vaccination efforts will intensify during the month of November, in order to protect as many possible people before winter arrives.
Dr. Mercedes Juan also reported that 32 million doses of influenza vaccines will be administered in all health units around the country, six million more doses than the previous year, in order to protect those sectors of the population at most risk of contracting the disease and having complications.
The risk groups are: infants under six months to five years, people with HIV, uncontrolled diabetes, heart problems, severe respiratory diseases, morbid obesity, uncontrolled asthma, patients receiving chemotherapy and pregnant women.
Dr. Ignacio Villasenor Ruiz, director of the National Center for Youth and Children’s Health, said during the event that influenza is a severe respiratory disease, being the most frequent symptoms cough, fever over 38 degrees Celsius, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, and malaise. In the case of children, they can present nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, which can worsen the situation and turn deadly if not prevented or attended on time.
Villaseñor explained that the vaccine contains three different strains, recommended by the World Health Organization; two of them are for influenza type A and the third one for influenza type B. He also mentioned that vaccination against seasonal influenza is only contraindicated in people who have an allergic reaction to eggs. The vaccine does not cause flu, but side effects may include pain, burning and swelling.
Miguel Herrera welcomed the invitation of the Ministry of Health to participate as ambassador for the seasonal influenza vaccine. The campaign, he said, is for more Mexicans to become aware of the importance of vaccination. He also urged all the people to go and get vaccinated, because as he said: Just as in football, we all must work together to do good things and this one is very important.
The event was also attended by Pablo Kuri Morales, Sub-minister of Prevention and Health Promotion; Rafael Castillo, Medical Director of the ISSSTE; and Hector Gonzalez Iñarritu, director of the Mexico national football team within Mexican Football Federation.
Through: Secretaría de Salud / Mexico’s Ministry of Health
