Adonis: No need to panic about the flu

Asked about vaccine shortages as denounced by the Athens Medical Association (ISA), Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis appeared reassuring that what is needed for the flu is information and antivirals and definitely not panic.
 
Regarding shortages in vaccines Georgiadis said that orders are based on previous years and as 2013 was a year of recession for the flu, the received vaccines were less, as throughout Europe.
 
However, as he said for the increase of flu-related deaths that have reached 62, they are mostly of people with underlying diseases, vaccination this period will not help, since the vaccine needs 3-4 weeks to act, while the wave of flu is expected to last two to three weeks.
 
ISA: The Health Minister’s statement is dangerous
 
The Minister’s statement for the flu caused the strong reaction of the President of the Medical Association of Athens, George Patoulis, who called it "misguided and dangerous to public health."
 
"While Professor of Pathology and Infections Helen Giamarellou and HCDCP still recommend vaccination with the flu vaccine for those in the high risk groups of the population, Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, without having scientific knowledge, gives a public statement that people do not need to have a flu vaccination now. And his blunder becomes even greater, since the statement was preceded by a public admission that this year the orders for flu vaccines were fewer compared with last year, leading to shortages," the ISA announcement says.