The start of the school year is around the corner and Costa Rica’s Health professionals advise parents to vaccinate their children before sending them to classes.
The risk of infection and spread of influenza increases with the start of the school year and close contact among children, who are th emain spreaders of the virus.
To this, we must add that this is the peak of transmission during the first months of the year.
The flu, known in Costa Rica as “quiebrahuesos”, is the leading cause of absenteeism from school, according to Hospital Nacional de Niños (Childre’s Hospital) pediatrician, Carlos Jiménez.
Last month, the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) or Caja launched a vaccination campaign against the flu virus. Targeted by the campaign are children, pregnant women an seniors, the obese and persons with diabetes, asthma, severe lung and heart problems.
Jimenez stressed that although this campaign focuses on children with no risk factors, the vaccine can be purchased at most pharmacies nationwide.
The doctor also warned not apply to children under 6 months and recommended that the entire family get vaccinated.
