Due to the cooling of the weather, the number of coronavirus cases is expected to increase as of October. Yeditepe University Hospitals Bağdat Street Polyclinic Internal Medicine Specialist Dr. Ömer İnan Ayata stated that getting the flu vaccine will provide a very important advantage during the coronavirus pandemic process. Stating that the fact that people start to go to closed places, especially with cold weather, will also have a negative effect on the increase in the number of cases, Dr. Ömer İnan Ayata explained that being vaccinated against the flu is one of the measures to be taken at this point.
Yeditepe University Bağdat Street Polyclinic Internal Medicine Specialist Dr. Ömer İnan Ayata gave the following information about the advantages of the vaccine: “Flu vaccine should be given because complaints such as fever, sore throat, body pain, diarrhea, malaise, and vomiting can occur due to both coronavirus and flu. Therefore, it is difficult to distinguish these two in the initial stage. Considering that coronavirus tests can sometimes not give 100 percent accurate results, the flu vaccine will be very important data to distinguish which disease the person has. When a patient comes in who has been vaccinated against the flu, if there are these symptoms, we will know that it is a coronavirus.

Why Pneumonia Vaccine?

Underlining that the pneumonia vaccine is a much more important vaccine especially in this period, Dr. Ömer İnan Ayata: "The pneumonia vaccine protects against pneumonia germs. We understand that pneumonia in people who are vaccinated is caused by corona in case of possible contamination. However, we know that the pneumonia vaccine has reduced the death rate in developing countries.”

“It Is Very Dangerous To Catch the Flu and Coronavirus At The Same Time”

Stating that it would be very dangerous and severe to catch the flu and coronavirus at the same time, Dr. Ayata continued his words as follow: "If the flu and coronavirus are caught at the same time, it will be much more severe. Being vaccinated against the flu will eliminate this possibility to a great extent. If you catch both corona and flu at the same time, the situation will be a little more difficult. The same goes for pneumonia. We think that a pneumonia vaccine should be given to eliminating this possibility."

“The Belief In People That ‘I Would Be Worse If I Got Vaccinated’ Is Not True”

Dr. Ömer İnan Ayata emphasized that these two vaccines should be given primarily to people over 65 years of age, those with chronic diseases such as COPD, and diabetes, and those with low immune systems, but it is beneficial for everyone to get the flu vaccine.
Stating that catching coronavirus in those who have been vaccinated against flu or pneumonia does not worsen the situation and that this belief is wrong, Yeditepe University Bağdat Street Polyclinic Internal Medicine Specialist Dr. Ömer İnan Ayata: "If you are unknowingly suffering from coronavirus and you become one of these vaccines in the meantime, the belief that 'I will be worse' is not true. Those who say this are certainly saying it without relying on scientific facts.” Drawing attention to the risk of allergies related to vaccines, Dr. Ayata: "Considering that there may be a small risk of allergies, the vaccine must be given in a hospital environment."

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This content was prepared by Yeditepe University Hospitals Medical Editorial Board.

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