The Vaccine Advisory Committee of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics (CAV-AEP) has published on its website the update corresponding to 2023 of the recommended childhood vaccination schedule for children and adolescents residing in the State, including a monoclonal antibody to preventr respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which causes bronchiolitis.
For the first time the calendar the term “vaccinations” has been changed to “immunizations” as it no longer includes only vaccines, but also the use of nirsevimab, the name given to the monoclonal antibody against RSV, which is recommended in children under six months and up to two years in risk groups for this disease.
respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
“Monoclonal antibody treatments are not the same as vaccines. Monoclonal antibodies are drugs that are given parenterally by directly delivering ‘man-made’ antibodies against a virus to help fight the infection.
vaccinesInstead, they work by stimulating the immune system to develop lasting defenses against thisincluding the production of natural antibodies”, explained the coordinator of the CAV-AEP, Francisco Álvarez.
three new vaccines
Furthermore, this year, pediatricians celebrated the inclusion of three new vaccines in the basic portfolio of the National Health System: that of meningococcus B for children under two years old,l Human papilloma virus (HPV) in 11-12 year olds, and the flu for children from six to 59 months.
“It’s a big step towards our goal of equalizing the health benefits of different self-governing communities, thoughand There are still important vaccines to be incorporated: that of rotavirus in newborns, funded only in Castilla y León; that of meningococcal ACWY at 12 months of age, which has only six autonomous communities; and recollection of whooping cough in adolescents aged 12 to 14,” Dr. Álvarez stressed.
accessible
The CAV-AEP instead asked for an extra year, the search for new methods of financing vaccines not included in the free calendar to facilitate their acquisition by families, as well as the creation of a National Immunization Committee in which, in addition to the Public Health technicians of the Ministry and the autonomous communities, scientific societies and patients participate, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Specifically, in the new work of the AEP, the no discrimination between funded and unfunded vaccines because it believes that all systematic vaccinations should be applied to all children and adolescents within the portfolio of services of the National Health System.
They are kept on the calendar
In addition, it includes maintaining the vaccination schedule against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, ‘Haemophilus influenzae’ type b, polio and hepatitis B with hexavalent vaccines, with a 2+1 regimen (2, 4, and 11 months) that provides for the application of a polio dose at six years for the cohort following this schedule.
Given the limited duration of immunity against pertussis, insists on the recommendation of standard burden vaccine against diphtheria and pertussis (DTaP) or, failing that, low antigen burden vaccine (TdaP) at six years, associated with VPI, followed by another dose of Tdpa at 12-14 years of age.
Mashed potato supports the maintenance of the 2+1 pneumococcal vaccination program (2, 4 and 11 months), with the reaffirmation that the VNC13 is the vaccine that best adapts to the epidemiological characteristics of the current moment of the state; and recommends the introduction of the vaccine against to meningococcus B as systematic in the newborn, in a 2+1 regimen from two months of age, although it can be separated for as long as desired (no longer than 1 or 2 weeks is desirable).
Vaccinate against the flu
The organization also recommended the flu vaccination for all children aged six to 59 months, pFor their individual protection and to avoid contagion to other elderly people; as well as maintenance of the vaccination schedule against meningococci A, C, W and Y, with a schedule of one dose at four months of MenC-TT and two doses of MenACWY, one at 12 months and another at 12-14 years, with progressive rescue up to age 18 in the unvaccinated. For the rest of the ages, the recommendation is for individual protection.
human papilloma
Finally, lawyer maintenance of MMR (measles, rubella and mumps) and varicella vaccine regimen with two doses, rrecommend tetraviral vaccine (SRPV) for the second dose; vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in all children and adolescents aged five to 18 years with mRNA vaccines and six to 59 months in risk groups; and the recommendation of human papillomavirus vaccine in both sexes at 11-12 years of age, because the burden of neoplastic disease in men due to this virus is also important.