The 2026 flu vaccination campaign will begin this Wednesday throughout the country, three weeks ahead of last year. This decision is due to the early start of the respiratory virus season and the circulation of a new, more transmissible variant of influenza A (H3N2). According to a report from the Ministry of Health, the campaign's goal is to guarantee greater immunity to population groups that can develop complications and more severe cases, and to reduce the impact of the disease on the health system. The flu vaccine is available in public hospitals, health centers, and vaccination sites across the country and can be administered simultaneously with other vaccines on the national calendar. In early February, more than 1,800,000 doses were distributed, and a further shipment of 1,018,640 doses is expected by the end of March. The Ministry has also developed a comprehensive preparation strategy, including the training of health teams and the publication of the 2026 Technical Guidelines for Influenza Vaccination. To monitor the campaign in real-time, a dashboard has been created that will allow analyzing the progress and coverage in each jurisdiction, strengthening decision-making, and detecting coverage gaps. In total, 8,160,000 doses were acquired: 4,700,000 for adults, 2,300,000 adjuvanted (aTIV), and 1,160,000 pediatric influenza vaccine. Vaccination is indicated for children aged 6 to 24 months, healthcare personnel, people over 65 years of age, pregnant and postpartum women (up to 10 days after leaving the maternity ward if not vaccinated during pregnancy), and people of any age with risk factors.
