The vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which causes different clinical symptoms, notably bronchiolitis and pneumonia, will cover all children under six months of age in Extremadura for the first time.
As a result, the new head of the health ministry revised the criteria the region had so far defended before the public health committee, which last May favored vaccinating only minors considered at risk because of underlying conditions.
The health department lamented that “there is no unified position on this immunization at national level” but defended its decision to vaccinate everyone for up to six months. “We know that in this case we do not have to distinguish between vulnerable and vulnerable, but that everyone must be vaccinated,” said the ministry, now led by Sara García Espada. PP Such as Madrid, Galicia, Andalusia or Murcia.
Therefore, the Ministry of Health said the vaccine will cover all children born after May 2023, approximately 6,000 infants, as well as children under 2 years old with risk factors. To this end, SES has started the administrative process for the procurement of doses of the monoclonal antibody Niservimab, for which more than €1.2 million will be allocated, and has begun to manage the organization and logistics of this procurement. New immunizations will begin in early November.
The process will be conducted via summons at a community public hospital. “Those minors who belong to different mutual aid societies (Muface, Mugeju and Isfas) and have signs of respiratory syncytial virus immunity must follow the procedures indicated by the entities to which they belong,” they said.
This is not mandatory
The advisory reminds that this virus is a common, contagious seasonal pathogen that infects the lower respiratory tract and causes annual epidemics around the world, most commonly affecting infants. Generally speaking, the number of case detections begins to increase in November and reaches the peak of the epidemic from December to January.
So while this is not a mandatory immunization, “the Ministry of Health encourages parents to protect their babies with this vaccine, which has passed all technical filters to protect against viruses of significant impact,” the group said.
According to published data from different clinical trials, Beyfortus (the commercial name of the vaccine) reduces hospitalizations due to syncytial virus by more than 80%, which confirms its effectiveness and good safety profile. The drug contains a recombinant monoclonal antibody and is administered as a single intramuscular injection. It is suitable for babies from birth through their first season of possible RSV infection to ensure they are more protected during their first exposure to the virus.
The drug was jointly developed by Sanofi and AstraZeneca, which announced an agreement in 2017 to advance and commercialize the antibody.