Cantabria will start combined influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations for children for the first time on October 1

Cantabria will start a combined vaccination campaign against influenza and COVID-19 on October 1, in which children aged 6 to 59 months will receive the influenza vaccine for the first time; as well as the respiratory syncytial virus vaccine for infants.

For the flu vaccination campaign, the region has placed an initial order for about 15,900 doses of vaccine, but there is room for expansion of up to 20%; currently, the agency has more than 8,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine on hand, with the remainder Will be received throughout October.

The news was reported at a press conference on Wednesday by Health Minister César Pascual, together with Public Health Director Isabel de Frutos and Head of Pediatric Services at Valdecilla Hospital María Jesús Cabero.

Pascual explained that he would receive the flu and coronavirus vaccines at the same time, rather than separately, as some autonomous regions have proposed, “for the sake of optimization and effectiveness” because it is “very difficult” for citizens to go for two vaccinations. The goal is to achieve “maximum” vaccination rates.

The campaign will begin in the first two weeks of this month, with the most vulnerable people, people with disabilities and those in senior centers being vaccinated first. However, anyone who requests it can get vaccinated at health centers during this period.

Therefore, mass vaccination of the rest of the population will be carried out from the 15th, in accordance with the influenza and COVID-19 vaccination recommendations approved by the interregional committee under the proposal of the Vaccine Commission.

People over 60 years old or under 60 years old with risk conditions will be vaccinated; professionals in health centers and institutions, staff in social care centres, pregnant women and people living with people with some degree of immunosuppression (e.g. cancer) people; and those performing essential public services, such as the police.

What is novel is that children aged 6 to 59 months will be vaccinated against influenza this year, estimated at around 17,200 children, while they will continue to receive the coronavirus vaccine as they have been until now.

The Cantabrian Health Service (SCS) will offer users the possibility to choose vaccination through all its channels (MiSalud website, app or call center). Therefore, eligible individuals must request an appointment with a nurse as self-appointments for vaccinations will not be made.

In addition, nurses will also use this opportunity to test people over the age of 65 who may participate “in groups” to see if they have also received the herpes zoster virus or pneumococcal vaccine, thus also strengthening preventive measures. Those two, bells.

The consultant recalled that people with private insurance could also be contacted by phone to receive the vaccine, as the vaccination was universal and not only available to those under the care of public health authorities.

For the pediatric population, parents can request a vaccination appointment with their pediatrician through regular channels.

On the other hand, the region will also start immunization against respiratory syncytial virus, not a vaccine, but a drug – Nirsevimab – to provide children with immunity against this virus, which causes bronchioles inflammation. Pascual said the infection had returned to its previous state “and more” and could lead to “very high” healthcare pressures.

Therefore, according to the recommendations, approximately 3,500 children will be vaccinated, divided into two groups: all children at higher risk of the disease and children under 6 months of age who are born at the beginning or during the season, that is, those born in April or April . They were all born during the campaign.

The Director-General of Public Health recalled that although not mandatory, vaccination campaigns are always “strongly recommended”, especially for children, as they are the main transmitters of infections in the household.

Cabello emphasized that this is a “historic moment” and that in addition to having “healthier children”, being able to complete children’s immunizations is beneficial to the coordination of family and work.

He noted that flu rates in the first few years of life are even higher than in the over-80s age group, so this could cut off “a lot of infections” across the community.

Finally, he added that the start of the course was quiet because it had only started recently, but he recalled that last year there was a lot of flu, a lot of bronchiolitis, a lot of ICU, and he hoped to have a “better” winter than last year. The above is viewed from a system perspective.