Within a month, about 8 thousand citizens of Pristina have been vaccinated against seasonal flu

The Director of the Main Center for Family Medicine (QKMF) in Pristina, Valdet Hashani, in an interview with Ekonomia Online, announced that since October 1, when the vaccination season for the year 2025-2026 against seasonal flu began, about 8 thousand doses have been administered so far.

He emphasized that this year's vaccine is four-component and for the first time is not recommended for people who are allergic to the antibiotic gentamicin.

"On October 1 of this year, we started the new vaccination season for 2025-2026, a vaccine that is four-component, it is quadrivalent, which means that within it we have two strains of group A of the virus and two of group B, which for the population as information means that through one vaccine they receive four vaccines of different types. It is the same vaccine as last year but from a different company. In addition to the contraindications that have been with the others, which means that people who are allergic to eggs, feathers, white meat or chicken protein, this year for the first time they have said that it is not good for people who are really allergic to gentamicin to take this vaccine," said Hashani.

He announced that so far, nearly 8 doses have been administered out of 11 allocated by the National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo.

"In reality, the number of vaccines from October 1, 2025 reaches somewhere close to 8 thousand doses, out of the 11 thousand doses we have allocated by the ISHKPK. However, although it seems that the large number that has gone, this usually means a slight increase in interest, but the month of October is usually more sensitizing and more of our citizens come and get vaccinated in different categories. The number is more or less slightly higher than at the same time last year, reaching 8 thousand doses. Other doses, if it is thought that these vaccines are scarce, can be given until the summer of next year and at any time that we spend them, we have promises from the ISHKPK that we can be supplied, but due to the storage of doses, we have only received the doses that we usually spend during the year," he said.

According to Hashani, the greatest interest in vaccination is being observed among the elderly, people with chronic diseases and pregnant women, while this year the number of vaccinated health workers has also increased significantly.

"The categories of people or persons who are vaccinated the most are the elderly, those who have chronic diseases, pregnant women, we also have young people who have been vaccinated. For the first time, awareness has also begun among the population. The number of health workers this year is also greater, those who have been vaccinated in connection with seasonal flu vaccines," he said.

Hashani emphasized that the vaccine is essential for strengthening immunity and preventing severe cases of influenza, especially in people with chronic diseases.

"The vaccine is what increases the body's immunity, sensitizes it, enables the creation of antibodies against these viruses that are specific, these four viruses that I mentioned, and protects the body in order to prevent us from getting sick. We know that for chronically ill people or those who have compromised immunity or pregnant women, infection with a seasonal virus damages the body and can even have fatal consequences for those who have chronic diseases. Keep in mind that seasonal flu is also deadly, it is extremely serious, but this vaccine makes the body's immunity increase, the body does not react with high temperatures, since the main symptom of seasonal flu is a rise in temperatures that are above 38 or 39 degrees Celsius, which for patients who have chronic diseases can even be fatal. The benefits are numerous," he said.