Half a million Basques over 60 will be able to get flu and coronavirus vaccines

Half a million Basques over 60 will be able to get flu and coronavirus vaccines

Half a million Basques over the age of 60 are being asked to get vaccinated again in a joint coronavirus and influenza campaign. These antidotes are designed to protect people who are at high risk for complications from these diseases. Although the exact date has not yet been determined, the serum that will be administered soon could provide greater protection against currently circulating subvariants.

Public Health decided 15 days ago to bring forward the 2023/2024 vaccination campaign to the last week of September, although some communities have confirmed that it will start in October. This is the third event to offer both influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations.

This will be the fifth shot for those in the target group who have received all previous doses, known as the risk group, but will be the sixth shot for those in the most advanced group (those with more severe disease) . The serum to be used has been updated to Pfizer’s omicron subvariant XBB.1.5, and the Ministry of Health has begun distributing the first doses of the company’s vaccine. But it is expected that as the campaign progresses, availability will increase and other adapted products will be included, such as those from Moderna that are already approved in the EU.

Health is also distributing 3.2 million doses of the vaccine it received from Hipra, which unlike previous vaccines is a protein vaccine limited to those with contraindications to the mRNA vaccine.

Who must be vaccinated?

COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for people over the age of 60; people who are long-term confined in residential and disability centers or institutions and residents of closed institutions.

Given the greater risk of severe symptoms, dual vaccination is also planned for people under 60 years old with high-risk medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer, kidney disease, pregnant and postpartum women in any trimester of pregnancy, and cohabitants of immunosuppressed patients. .

The recommendations put forward in mid-September were little more than an update of last July’s document, given the rebound in coronavirus cases this summer. While we can’t say saturation yet, fortunately, nor an increase in ICU admissions, emergency doctors do assure that there has been a 15% to 20% increase in the number of visits through the emergency department in recent weeks. Driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

NEW, RSV Injection

But this year, babies will be vaccinated against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for the first time. In the war against bronchiolitis, one of the most common illnesses in children under one year of age, Osakidetza will vaccinate at-risk infants and newborns.

Specifically, the Basque Advisory Committee on Vaccination has approved prioritizing the immunization of children under 12 months of age who are at high risk of severe RSV disease, and including infants born in the middle of the virus transmission season (approximately October to March) in.

They will receive Nirsevimab, a monoclonal antibody that has been shown to be effective for five months in preventing serious lower respiratory tract illness (but not infection) in children younger than 1 year old during the first RSV season. 74%.

Respiratory syncytial virus is the leading cause of lung and respiratory infections in children under one year old, causing 90% of bronchiolitis cases. It can infect adults and children, but in children it produces more severe symptoms, especially in the first few months of life, due to immature respiratory and immune systems.

It is worth remembering the importance of vaccination with this serum, as the virus spread strongly again after the cessation of the pandemic, especially last winter.

One of the novelties of the season is that the children’s calendar also features a pediatric flu vaccine for children aged six months to five years.I

What happened in other autonomous regions?

nafaroa

healthy. Navarroa will begin a combined vaccination campaign against influenza and COVID-19 on October 16.

Catalonia

Residential. Catalonia will start rolling it out in residential settings from Tuesday, expanding to people over 60 and high-risk groups in mid-October; RSV immunization will begin next month.

andalusia

First, VRS. Andalusia will start syncing today and has already summoned the parents. COVID-19 flu vaccinations will begin on October 16.

16-O day

In Valencia and Madrid. On the first day of October, the Valencian community will vaccinate its babies against RSV and from October 16 against influenza and coronavirus, just like in Madrid.