As temp dips, city elderlies vax up for pneumonia, winter ailments

Kolkata: Hospitals in Kolkata have seen a sharp rise in vaccinations for pneumonia and influenza, especially among senior citizens, who are vulnerable to infections at this time of the year. Even as the minimum temperature slid to 10°C, number of patients suffering from both the diseases increased, forcing admissions across several hospitals. Some hospitals sought to replenish their vaccine stocks, which were flying off the shelves faster than expected, while others asked patients to seek prior appointments.
Manipal Hospitals circulated WhatsApp messages urging "safe, effective and quality vaccination under expert care", with a link to book an appointment. "Those who got pneumonia in the past are more keen on vaccines. There is now a rush, though ideally vaccines for pneumonia and influenza should be taken before winter," said Manipal infectious diseases physician, Sayan Chakrabarty."While we saw a significant spurt in influenza cases among patients across age groups, those vaccinated had mild symptoms and didn't require ICU admission. The unvaccinated patients had severe breathing distress, requiring oxygen support and ICU care," Charnock Hospital pulmonology head, Soumya Sengupta, said.Authorities of BP Poddar Hospital said they had observed nearly a 20% increase in the number of individuals opting for pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations over the past year. "We advised patients to seek prior appointments to ensure adequate lead time for arranging the appropriate vaccines and maintaining proper stock availability. In the last week alone, we received close to 50 vaccination-related appointments," said Supriyo Chakrabarty, group advisor, BP Poddar Hospital."Many pneumonia and seasonal influenza patients are enquiring about vaccination," said Abhishek Kolay, consultant pulmonologist at BP Poddar. "Community-acquired pneumonia and influenza can deteriorate rapidly and lead to hospitalisation with serious complications, particularly among high-risk individuals. Factors such as air pollution, sudden weather fluctuations and age-related decline in immunity further increase susceptibility.The influenza vaccine should be taken annually, and patients must ensure, in consultation with their treating physician. Pneumococcal vaccines follow a structured schedule, which is individualised according to age and risk profile," added Kolay.MS Purkait, medical superintendent, Techno India DAMA Hospital, said, "" Since our hospital was a nodal centre for vaccinations and treatment during Covid, we are using the Covid vaccination system and infrastructure to meet the increased demand," said Purkait.