Catalonia, Galicia, Andalusia, Euskadi and Murcia inaugurate this week the autumn vaccination campaign against respiratory infections, in which covid-19 and the flu will once again be given together to the elderly and people at risk and for the first time will immunize babies from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
This is one of the great novelties of the season, in which the children’s calendar has also introduced the pediatric flu vaccine and the adult calendar has included smokers as a population at risk for the flu.
Regarding covid-19, target groups have been established to which sera updated to the omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 from the company Pfizer will be administered, the first doses of which have been distributed by the Ministry of Health. It is expected that, as the campaign progresses, availability will increase and other adapted ones will be included, such as that of Moderna, already endorsed in the EU.
Health has also distributed the 3.2 million doses it acquired from Hipra, which, unlike the previous ones, is a protein vaccine, which is restricted to those whose mRNA vaccines are contraindicated.
Third joint covid-flu campaign
For the third year, the groups defined by the Public Health Commission in the document “Vaccination recommendations against flu and covid-19 in the 2023-2024 season in Spain”.
Given the greater risk of serious illnesses, double vaccination is intended for those over 60 and those over 5 years old in disability centers and residences, as well as people with other previous pathologies such as diabetes, kidney failure, morbid obesity. or chronic cardiovascular, neurological or respiratory diseases, pregnant women or cohabitants of immunosuppressed patients, among others.
It is also recommended for staff at public and private health and socio-health centers and establishments and workers in essential public services – security forces, civil protection and firefighters – to avoid the impact on the system.
Aside from the joint treatment, the flu test is recommended, in addition to children aged 5 to 59 months, to people aged 5 to 59 years with a higher risk of complications: patients aged 5 to 18 years on prolonged treatment with acetylsalicylic acid -for the possibility of developing Reye’s syndrome- and smokers.
Lastly, it should be used by students doing internships in health and social health centers and by people with direct occupational exposure to animals or their secretions.
War on bronchitis
Until now, only children under 2 years of age at high risk of severe disease received a drug against RSV; Now 6-month-old babies born between April 2023 and March 2024 will also be immunized.
They will receive Nirsevimab, a monoclonal antibody that has been shown to be 74.5% effective for 5 months in preventing severe disease – not infection, since it is not sterilizing – of the lower respiratory tract in children under one year of age during their first RSV season. .
A virus that, after the break in 2020, circulated strongly again, especially last season, when it left 17,102 people hospitalized, most of them under one year old (12,422, 38%), followed by those over 80 ( 7,618 admissions, 23%).
For now, the program will be developed this campaign while waiting for new strategies that may emerge with the vaccines already authorized in the EU for adults over 60 years of age and pregnant women.
Community plans
Galicia, Catalonia, Euskadi, Andalusia and Murcia will kick off the campaign, to which the rest will progressively join, according to the information that EFE has collected from the ministries.
Catalonia will start on Tuesday in residences and, in mid-October, it will expand to those over 60 and people at risk; Next month, immunization against syncytial will begin in primary centers for babies born between April and September 2023 and in the hospital, after delivery, for those born between October and March 2024.
2023-09-24 08:42:05
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