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The Canary Islands will rely on vaccine Prevent respiratory flu and avoid winter emergency room collapse. Preventing COVID-19, influenza or interstitial respiratory viruses (RSV) will not only save the lives of the most vulnerable, it will also help reduce the medical pressure on already saturated systems each winter.
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Under this premise, vaccination campaign and immunization against island winter respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 and influenza. In the case of this latest virus, data shows its escalation in the archipelago has already begun.
In the morning, dozens of Canarians began receiving protective vaccinations through their health centres. The campaign starts with people who belong to high-risk groups: those over 60 years old, health workers, state security forces, pregnant women, people with chronic and immunosuppressive diseases (diabetes, obesity, cancer or chronic kidney disease) and those they live with.
If it’s the fluThis year, for the first time, children between 6 and 59 months (5 years), smokers, students doing internships in health centers and institutions (including pharmacies) and social health centers and people working with animals on farms are also included as priority groups. farm.
By including these new profiles, the health department hopes to reduce the spread of the flu — especially when it is passed from grandchildren to grandparents —, avoid complications in people with smoking problems, and reduce the chance that the virus will mutate when it mixes with other viruses. risks of. Animal pathogens on farms, such as swine or avian flu.
Additionally, for children, preventing the flu requires vaccinations that are easier to get. “For young children, we have a new intranasal vaccine,” Alvarez explained. Children and their parents appreciate this approach because it is much less intrusive and creates less reluctance.
The influenza virus has begun to escalate in the Canary Islands.According to the last Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) Report The Canary Islands government said flu diagnoses in health centers began to increase at the end of September.Additionally, there has been a rebound, particularly in child, from other diagnoses such as the common cold and acute laryngitis. As far as COVID-19 is concerned, cases have been increasing since mid-April.
Pay more attention to COVID-19
In the case of COVID-19, vaccines adapt Current strain It is once again incorporated into the seasonal vaccination calendar and is designed to cover the winter rebound. “It will be administered in a single dose adapted to the Ómicron XBB1.5 variant,” explains Alejandro Álvarez, Deputy Director of Nursing at the Tenerife Authority.
The XBB1.5 omicron variant was detected in Spanish wastewater earlier this year after rapidly expanding in the United States. In July this year, based on the latest data, the Ministry of Health assured that this recombinant lineage was the “largest globally expanded” lineage, accounting for 47.7% of samples collected in Spain at that time.
This year, based on recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO), health workers set out to achieve an ambitious goal: they want 75% of at-risk groups to be protected from SARS-CoV-2. This seems complicated given the precedent. “We didn’t have enough results over the years,” Alvarez recalled. While flu and COVID vaccinations surged in the first two years of the pandemic (2020 and 2021), the fall 2022 vaccination campaign has been less successful.
The end of restrictions and a reduced sense of risk have resulted in the lowest level of protection in Spain for those over 60 years old. Specifically, during the autumn vaccination period in the Canary Islands, 52.94% of those over 80 years old could receive a dose suitable for the omicron variant, well below the national average of 76.9%, while 40% of those over 70 years old could receive a dose suitable for the omicron variant. . 6% can receive the vaccine. 79 years old – compared to 67.4% nationally – and only 27.88% – compared to 48.08% nationally. In short, only 40% of the target population.
That’s why Alvarez had to “eliminate” the consideration of a “fifth dose,” since the concept of a “fifth dose” has been mooted. stabbing Continuously for stronger virus protection. “This vaccine is here to stay, just like the flu vaccine,” he insisted. In fact, the only people who will be able to get a second dose will be the immunosuppressed. “If necessary, they will receive a booster dose in the third month,” he explained.
Despite the inherent difficulties in recruiting high-risk populations, professionals are confident that goals can be achieved. This is especially true after children were “successfully” vaccinated against interstitial respiratory viruses in just two weeks. “We had placed an initial order for 70% of the scheduled doses because we knew some children would not receive the vaccine,” Alvarez stressed. Two weeks later, a flood of requests led to them eventually being out of stock. “We have ordered more doses and they will arrive in the next few weeks, and at the moment we have to reschedule some appointments,” said Alvarez, who was optimistic the World Health Organization would achieve its goals in such a short period of time.
Facing this season, the Canary Islands have purchased 335,000 doses of up to four types of vaccines, with a total investment of nearly 3 million euros. Specifically, there will be a specific vaccine for babies over 6 months old, another for babies over 2 years old, another booster vaccine for babies over 60 years old, and a final one for those 2 years old and older without underlying conditions. Vaccines for children up to 5 years of age. The latter can also be used in patients aged between 5 and 14 years (inclusive) with underlying pathology and without contraindications.