Neonatal bronchiolitis vaccination has shown very good data in the first month of implementation. In 2023, newborns were vaccinated for the first time with a drug, nirsevimab, against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), one of the most common viruses in autumn and winter that poses a challenge to health systems.
As of October 1, all children born in León can receive this vaccine. Figures released by the province of Castilla and León show that as of November 6, 1,309 boys and girls in the province had undergone defensive piercing. This figure is reflected in a coverage rate of 84.9%, making León the second largest province after Soria, which has a coverage rate of 87%.
This is the second highest number of vaccinations in this community, after Valladolid, which registered 1,709 vaccinations. Across the Castile and Leon region, 6,938 people have received the vaccine, accounting for 81% of the total coverage.
vaccination campaign
The purpose of vaccination with nirsevimab is to prevent the sometimes severe effects of a virus that produces a cold-like illness that may lead to severe respiratory infections such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia. The virus is particularly prevalent in children and infants, with an estimated 90% of minors being infected by RSV by the age of two.
Babies born since March 1 are also included in the vaccination program against the virus, and they receive this vaccine in turn, which protects them against the virus for at least five months from the date of inoculation. As counselors explained when introducing the vaccination campaign, the target group also includes premature infants less than 35 weeks old, patients with congenital heart disease, patients with bronchopulmonary dysplasia and others at risk of severe RSV bronchiolitis.
There are very good data on the management of this virus, in stark contrast to the data on the management of influenza and coronavirus. Since the campaign started in Leon on October 10, 67,324 people have been vaccinated against influenza. Among those over 60 years of age, for whom vaccination is specifically recommended, 33.9% have been vaccinated. Children under 2 received 19% of education, while children aged 2 to 4 received 17.3%. Regarding COVID-19, as of November 6, 48,807 doses of vaccine have been administered in the province. Among people over 60 years old, 26.9% have been vaccinated.