MADRID, 3 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The vaccination campaign in the Community of Madrid is advancing “successfully” with more than 410,000 doses of flu inoculated to people over 60 years of age, more than 4,400 intranasal vaccines administered to children between 6 months and 5 years old and another 22,000 to prevent the Virus. Syncytial Respiratory System (RSV), causing bronchiolitis.
Some data that the Minister of Health of the Community of Madrid, Fátima Matute, announced this Friday during a visit to the Canillejas Health Center and which she described as “successful.”
Specifically, within the framework of the flu vaccination campaign, which started on October 16 and will end on January 31, 410,000 flu shots have been administered so far to people over 60 years of age and risk groups of any age. , such as chronically ill people and pregnant women.
“It is a success because the attendance and the request for consultation to get the flu vaccine is full in all the health centers, which will also result in lower income and lower flu infections,” explained the person in charge of Health.
Last Monday, the second phase of the campaign began, which, as a novelty, includes children between 6 months and 5 years old, with a potential population of 250,175 children. According to the data provided by the counselor, 4,400 vials of intranasal application have been administered so far.
The frequency of this disease in this group is very high, between three and four times higher than in adults, and they also release a greater amount of virus over a longer period of time and are important transmitters.
Within the framework of the campaign coordinated by the General Directorate of Public Health, whose budget amounts to 19 million euros, 1.6 million doses against the flu have been acquired, 100,000 more than those used in 2022, as well as 28,000 vials of intranasal application that children who are 4 years old or who will turn 4 years old in 2023 (born in 2019) and who are not immunosuppressed will receive.
Regarding the vaccination campaign against the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), which causes bronchiolitis and pneumonia, 22,000 doses have been inoculated since its launch on October 2, aimed at babies up to six months, born from April of this year.
“It is a success and we hope that this helps prevent health and reduce hospital admissions,” highlighted Matute.
Generally, case detection increases starting in October, reaching its epidemic peak between December and January. In Spain, 78% of severe cases of bronchiolitis are caused by RSV and it is estimated that almost 10% of healthy hospitalized children require intensive care.
In the Community of Madrid, bronchiolitis caused more than 3,600 hospital admissions and 300 ICU admissions last season. The highest incidence figures, both for episodes of bronchiolitis in Primary Care and for emergency admissions, occur in children under 2 years of age, especially in the first year of life.
In this case, the Community has acquired 50,000 doses of the vaccine that immunizes infants against bronchiolitis, with an investment of 10.8 million euros. It will be administered in the hospitals of La Paz, Gregorio Marañón, Niño Jesús and 12 de Octubre in the capital, and in Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda.
2023-11-03 09:43:00
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