At the FPT Long Châu Vaccination Center, Võ Nguyên Giáp branch in Điện Biên Phủ City, the number of daily flu vaccinations has skyrocketed. Just a month ago, the center administered an average of 10 flu vaccine doses per day, but in recent days, this number has increased tenfold, even fifteenfold.

On Sunday (February 9), despite it being almost noon, the waiting area remained crowded with people waiting their turn. When we arrived at the center to conduct interviews, we had to wait quite a while before being able to speak with Dr. Nguyễn Thị Thu Hoài, the center’s director.

Dr. Nguyễn Thị Thu Hoài shared that over the past three days, the center has been administering flu vaccines to approximately 100-150 people per day. Just February 8, they vaccinated nearly 100 people. On the morning of the following day, they have already vaccinated nearly 100 individuals.

Concerned about the increasing severity of the flu outbreak, many families have opted to vaccinate both adults and children simultaneously. Mrs. Nguyễn Huyền Anh’s family, from Residential Group 3, Mường Thanh Ward, Điện Biên Phủ City, was among them.

According to Ms. Huyền Anh, from news reports, she learned that the flu is spreading rapidly, with many severe complications, especially among the elderly, people with underlying health conditions, and young children. The recent report of a flu-related death in Japan has further heightened public concern about preventive vaccinations. That is why her family decided to get vaccinated against the flu. “When we arrived at the vaccination center, we saw that many other families had made the same decision”, she added.

Not only at the FPT Long Châu Vaccination Center but also at other vaccination centers across the province, the number of people proactively seeking flu vaccines has surged dramatically within just a week, especially following reports of severe flu complications nationwide.

Despite the sudden surge in demand, representatives from several vaccination centers have assured that they anticipated the outbreak’s spread and the increased public demand. As a result, many centers had pre-ordered large quantities of flu vaccines for both adults and children. Moreover, the vaccines are stored under strict quality control standards.

More than 1,500 flu vaccine doses were pre-stocked by the Nam Thanh Vaccination Center, located in Residential Group 4, Nam Thanh Ward, Điện Biên Phủ City, to meet the growing demand. However, according to Dr. Đàm Thanh Tú from the Center, with the current vaccination surge, this supply will only last a few more days. Therefore, the center has placed an urgent order for additional vaccine doses to ensure continuous service for the public.

To accommodate the high demand, vaccination centers across the province have also increased staffing levels. At the Nam Thanh Vaccination Center, the usual team of three medical personnel per shift has been doubled in recent days. Upon arrival, vaccine recipients are guided through each step of the process by medical staff, including registration, health screening, consultation, vaccination, and post-vaccination monitoring.

A survey of vaccination centers indicates that despite the increased demand, vaccine prices have remained stable without any signs of inflation. Currently, the primary flu vaccines available in the province come from France, the Netherlands, and the Republic of Korea, with prices ranging from VNĐ 300,000 - 330,000 per dose.

Flu vaccination has been proven to provide numerous benefits, including reducing the risk of infection, hospitalization, and even flu-related deaths. This is especially crucial for high-risk groups, including young children, the elderly, and individuals with chronic health conditions.

In order to effectively prevent the flu, doctors also recommend additional preventive measures alongside vaccination. These include maintaining good hygiene, regularly washing hands, cleaning the nose and throat daily, keeping the body warm, maintaining a nutritious diet, and avoiding close contact with infected or suspected cases. If symptoms such as cough, fever, runny nose, headache, or fatigue occur, individuals should seek medical attention promptly rather than relying on home remedies that could worsen the condition.