The Ministry of Health and Social Protection shared today in the social media moments from the work of nurses at the Medical Center No. 9 in Tirana.

“The vaccine saves lives. During this period of seasonal flu, our medical teams are on the ground every day, providing free of charge flu vaccines at home for chronic patients who are unable to go to the medical centers. The health of every citizen is our priority,” stated the ministry.

“Since the elderly were not able to come to the clinic, we came to their homes and offered the flu vaccine. The patients suffer from hypertension and diabetes,” said Eriseida Brisku, a nurse at the Medical Center No. 9.

The vaccination campaign started on September 22, 2025, and during the first week, 6,600 citizens were vaccinated at the Tirana Primary Medical Care Center according to the electronic vaccination system.

The Ministry of Health and Social Protection has provided 280 thousand doses of this vaccine, which have already been distributed to all the medical centers in the country. /k.s/j.p/p.s./

Minister of Health and Social Protection Albana Koçiu wrote in a post in the social media that, “So far, there have been administered 80% of the vaccines for at-risk groups”.

Koçiu informed that for those who cannot appear at the medical centers, doctors and nurses are also offering vaccination at home.

Minister Koçiu appealed to citizens to see their family doctor and get vaccinated.

Within the framework of the National Vaccination Program, 280,000 doses of vaccines have already been provided and distributed throughout the country, 20 thousand doses more than last year. /k.s//a.f//r.e/p.s./

Minister of Health and Social Protection Albana Koçiu wrote in a post in the social media that, “So far, 77.4% of the vaccines provided for at-risk groups have been applied”.

“In parallel, there is being carried out the vaccination at home for all those who cannot appear at the medical centers. Doctors and nurses continue their work to guarantee protection for the most vulnerable”, emphasized Koçiu.

Minister Koçiu appealed to the citizens to see their family doctor and get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Free flu vaccination has been launched and is available in the medical centers since October 7, 2024, as the most efficient means and the best protection against especially respiratory viruses.

Within the framework of the National Vaccination Program, 280 thousand vaccine doses have already been distributed throughout the country. /k.s/r.e/a.f/p.s./

Brataj said that there is no room for panic because February is a typical flu period.

“According to the Institute of Public Health, if compared to the past two years, there are 23 thousand flu cases per week in the country. Among the visits to the National Emergency, there are 10-15 people hospitalized due to flu,” he said.

Brataj said that 85% of those affected do not show any symptoms.

“Care should start at home, but if there is a fever that lasts for 5-7 days in adults, while in children over 10 days, you should talk to your family doctor and the doctors of the “Mother Teresa” University Hospital Center by phone for some more specialized advice. People are also advised to take Vitamins B, C as they are the best way to strengthen immunity”, emphasized Brataj.

According to him, in our country there circulate several types of viruses, from influenza A, AH1, AH3, influenza B, RSV and to a lower percentage, the COVID-19. /a.f/r.e/p.s./

According to the World Organization for Animal Health, the disease is currently present in many other countries, which implement control and surveillance programs similar to our country.

According to the report, since confirmation of the first case, the National Crisis Center for Avian Influenza disease meets regularly with representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and the Institute of Public Health, to coordinate actions and receive information on the measures taken by the Regional Crisis Center, which has identified the municipal units of the protection zones (3 km) and surveillance (10 km) for the three bird flu infection sites in Zall-Herr, Narta, Paskuqan and the one confirmed today in Karavasta Lagoon.

“Since the first confirmed case, the Regional Veterinary Service has taken all necessary measures to monitor the health situation of the domestic birds, to isolate the infection in order to prevent its spread, continuing communication with the Protected Areas Agency for bilateral monitoring of wild fauna in protected lagoon and water areas,” the report read. /a.f/r.e/p.s./

According to the Ministry, the veterinary sector of the Tirana region has controlled, through 11 daily control groups, the municipal units and villages put under veterinary supervision, enabling the immediate identification of a new case in Paskuqan, on 06.01.2025. The laboratory analysis with the RT-PCR confirmatory method confirmed the presence of the Avian Influenza virus of the subtype H5N1 in a family farm with 10 poultry heads.

Meanwhile, the veterinary sector of the Vlora region immediately after the confirmation of the positive result by the Institute of Food Safety and Veterinary Medicine for the Avian Influenza disease, of the subtype H5N1 in dead wild birds in the coastal area of ​​the Old Beach of Vlora, on 05.01.2025, has taken all measures to control and monitor the situation.

Meanwhile, the minister’s immediate orders are in force, prohibiting the sale and trading of live birds in open areas and live animal markets in the territory of: Vlora Municipal Unit; Orikum; Paskuqan; Dajt; Tirana; Farkë; Bërxull; Vaqarr; Kashar; Kamëz; Zall-Herr; Zall-Bastar. /r.e//a.f/p.s./

Koçiu emphasized that, “About 76% of the at-risk groups have been vaccinated so far, and at the same time vaccinations are also being carried out in families for individuals who are unable to go to the medical centers”.

Minister Koçiu appealed to the citizens to see the family doctor and get the flu and Covid-19 vaccine.

In October 2023, 260,000 doses of flu vaccine were distributed throughout Albania. /k.s/p.s./

The family doctor at the Medical Center no. 9 in Tirana Artan Bitri said today for ATA that, “Vaccination against seasonal flu has started since October and is the safest way to prevent severe forms of it”.

“In our medical center, there are 40-60 flu vaccinations being carried out per day. Meanwhile, for patients who do not have the opportunity to come to the medical center, the medical staff goes to the family to make the vaccine”, said Bitri.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent the flu, said Bitri, therefore we call on citizens to come to medical centers to get vaccinated.

“We recommend all vulnerable groups, such as health personnel, the chronically ill and the elderly, to be vaccinated against the flu as soon as possible. By being vaccinated, they get through the flu easier than people who are not vaccinated”, said Bitri.

Every day, family doctors visit patients who present with seasonal flu symptoms.

“With the drop in temperatures, the visits for seasonal viruses have started to increase; during the recent days we are making about 5-7 daily visits per doctors”, said Bitri.

The flu can cause severe symptoms such as pneumonia which can be life-threatening.

“For this reason, the vaccine reduces the risk of these complications”, added Bitri.

The flu vaccine gives its effects 2 weeks after application, so doctors recommend that this is the best time to do it as long as the flu is not spread in our country.

About 260,000 vaccine doses have been distributed throughout the country. The vaccine dose is the best way to prevent severe forms of the flu, and helps for a healthier life during the winter season./k.s/p.s./

Speaking to ATA, Çomo emphasized that, “There is an increase in the number of hospitalized cases from August to September. Currently, about 13-14 people are admitted to the hospital”.

Asked if the high number of tourists who came to our country this summer had an effect on the increase in cases, Çomo emphasized that even last August, when there were not so many tourists, the number of hospitalized people was high.

Those affected by COVID-19 have a variety of symptoms.

“The damage to the digestive system has dominated, but the hospital also looks at damage to the nervous system, the heart, etc.,” added Çomo.

Çomo appealed to the citizens to get vaccinated, especially people who are in the risk groups and who have chronic diseases as well as the medical staff who are more exposed to COVID-19, then other age groups.

She advised that the vaccine against COVID-19 and the flu vaccine, which comes in October, can be received together.

“My biggest advice for citizens remains that hugs, or going to see patients in hospitals or who are in home conditions and have left the hospital should be avoided, as they have the potential to transmit the virus to people who have new chronic diseases or who have undergone interventions “, appealed Çomo./k.s/p.s./

The Ministry of Health said that, “During the winter period, there is recommended the combination of the flu vaccine and the vaccine against COVID-19 for the immunization of persons at high-risk “.

This vaccine is recommended for the age group over 60, health personnel, pregnant women and people with chronic diseases.

The ministry appealed to the citizens to contact their family doctor to protect themselves from seasonal flu and COVID-19.

According to the Ministry of Health, there have already arrived 270,000 doses of flu vaccines which are being distributed to medical centers across the country.

The free vaccination against seasonal flu has started since October 27 in medical centers throughout the country. It will be combined at the same time with the booster vaccine against COVID-19. /k.s/p.s./