COVID-19 is on the decline, and the flu will come after the holidays: when and how to get vaccinated
14 October 2025 18:10
EXCLUSIVE
A new epidemic season of COVID-19 and other viral infections has already begun in Ukraine. In just one week, from September 29 to October 5, 129,700 people fell ill with ARVI, including COVID-19, including 76,300 children. 5,000 people fell ill with COVID-19, and 10 people died due to complications from the disease, all of whom were not vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Center for Public Health warns that an increase in the incidence of influenza is expected in winter.
Komersant analyzed whether Ukrainians will suffer from new flu strains this winter, what the situation with the coronavirus will be like, and whether vaccination will be available to everyone
SARS, flu and COVID incidence: what is the situation in the capital of Ukraine?
In the 41st week of 2025, 10,102 people fell ill with influenza and acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) in the capital, according to the Kyiv City Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to doctors, 4,238 people fell ill among the adult population during the week, which is 12.7% more than a week earlier. The incidence rate among children also increased by 2.5% (5,864 cases against 5,720 last week).
In total, children account for 58% of all cases, and most cases were recorded among schoolchildren – 3,303 students, which is 32.7% of all cases.
Despite the increase, the epidemic situation remains under control: the intensity level is 37.7% lower than the average for this period.
Against the backdrop of the autumn rise in SARS, the number of COVID-19 cases in the capital has decreased. Over the past week, 274 cases were registered, including 32 children under 17. This is 31.2% less than a week earlier (398 cases).
Influenza vaccination
During the epidemic season, 2,594 people have already been vaccinated in Kyiv, including:
- 188 – representatives of medical risk groups;
- 872 – people from epidemic risk groups;
- 1,534 – other residents of the capital.
Doctors urge Kyiv residents not to delay their flu vaccination, especially people with chronic diseases, education, transportation and healthcare workers.
“Vaccination is the most effective way to avoid complications. It is important to get vaccinated before the peak of the disease, which usually occurs in November-December,” the Kyiv City Center for Disease Control said.
Read also: Kyiv residents complain of voice loss, cough, fever: doctors name the cause
What you need to know about vaccination to protect your health,
The epidemiologist advises to get vaccinated now, so that the body has time to form immunity before the epidemic begins.
It takes at least three weeks for protection to form. The deadline for vaccination is mid-December,” she emphasized.
Vynohrad adds that this winter, Ukraine is expected to have known types of influenza A and B, against which there are already vaccines.
Influenza and COVID-19: how they will be contracted in the winter of 2025-2026
Natalia Vynohrad predicts that this winter in Ukraine, influenza and coronavirus will not spread simultaneously because they have different seasonal cycles.
The flu has its own season, the coronavirus has its own. COVID-19 is now on the decline: it started in the summer and by the end of October it is completing its intensive spread. There will be only isolated cases. And the flu in our region is a winter season, after the holidays and until March,” the expert explained.
According to her, the influenza virus is currently circulating in the southern hemisphere, particularly in Australia, and it is there that strains are recorded, on the basis of which vaccines are created for the northern hemisphere.
We already know which strains have been spreading in Australia, so we are using a four-component vaccine. There is hope that the vaccine strains will coincide with those that will cause the next epidemic wave,” Vinograd said.
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