Flu and coronavirus vaccination campaigns for vulnerable groups have been brought forward to the end of September, as decided this Tuesday by the Public Health Commission, which has representatives from all autonomous regions and the Ministry of Health. That is, it will start in the last week of September and last throughout October, and will target certain target groups such as people over 60, people at risk, pregnant women and healthcare workers.
At this Tuesday’s meeting, the evolution of the epidemiological situation was analyzed, noting that in recent weeks “Slight increase detected, stabilizing“.The national incidence rate in primary care facilities is approximately 130 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, while the number of cases requiring hospitalization is 3 per 100,000 inhabitants.”
Bronchiolitis vaccine for infants
On the other hand, the National Health and Family Planning Commission also approved the recommendation Bronchiolitis vaccine for infants —Especially high-risk infants (premature infants younger than 35 weeks, infants with severe immunosuppression, those with Down syndrome, or those receiving palliative care) and infants under six months of age. Technically, it’s immunity against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
The Ministry of Health and the director of the autonomous region’s Public Health Service maintained the criteria established in July that it must start with children under 24 months old who are at high risk of severe disease. It will then be passed to children under 6 months of age (children born between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024) at the beginning of or during the RSV season. Priority will be given to those born during that season, who “must receive nirsevimab very early, preferably within the first 24-48 hours of life” because the disease is more severe in the first days of life. People born after April “will be vaccinated as soon as possible”, preferably before October.
Flu and COVID-19 vaccines
Back to the flu and COVID vaccines, it must be said that this will be The third event jointly managed by both parties And this comes at a time when covid-19 has been increasing slightly for weeks. This will be the fifth dose and is recommended for people over 60, people over 5 in nursing homes and disability centers or long-term residents, residents of closed institutions, people under 60 with high-risk health conditions (diabetes, cancer, kidney disease…), pregnant women during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and people living with immunosuppressed people.
Vaccination is also recommended for staff in public and private health and social hygiene centers (with the exception of students, for whom influenza vaccination is recommended only), as well as staff in essential public services. The novelty is the inclusion of people from health facilities such as pharmacies. Finally, it must be noted that the vaccine they will receive will “preferably” be one adapted to the new variant. In Europe, only Pfizer has the backing of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Also worth mentioning are Moderna, which was authorized in the United States on Monday; and Novavax, which is not messenger RNA.