Sanidade predicts flu peak this week and calls for vaccination

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Tamara Montero
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According to the Ministry of Health, the peak of influenza is coming in the next few days. Call on people to get vaccinated Diana and stick to the mask. From the perspective of the health and pharmaceutical sectors, the spread of influenza A is particularly prominent during these holidays. Health Minister Julio García Comesagna chaired on Tuesday a meeting to monitor the situation of emergency services convened by the General Directorate of Health Assistance of Sergas, with the participation electronically of the aid directors of Galicia’s seven health districts. The data reflects a decrease in pediatric emergency care and a slight increase in adult patients. The measures taken, reinforcements and additional shifts were reviewed at the meeting. Simplification of testing and results is also recommended.Sanidade pointed out“However, surgical activity has not been suspended, although in areas such as Vigo, delayed interventions have been rescheduled to be able to address all priorities.”

Regarding vaccination, Galicia still shows no signs of the fatigue that experts warned about this winter, and Their rates of COVID-19 and influenza remain highSo much so that two weeks after this year’s event ended, the vaccination rate among people over 60 years old dropped by 3.5 percentage points compared with last year. Although Sanidade has set a target to increase vaccination rates, especially among pregnant women and health workers, forecast figures will remain at similar levels to the 2022 vaccination campaign, but coverage will be below targets and both influenza Still COVID-19, vaccination rates can be improved. During last year’s election campaign, 51% of pregnant women have received the flu vaccine

, 9 percentage points lower than the target of 60%.This 51% is a decrease of 4 percentage points from the previous campaign and may be due to vaccination at the same time as the recommended vaccines during pregnancy and the covid-19 booster vaccine “There is no group that is unwilling to get vaccinated.”

Regarding health personnel, the coverage rate remains at 65%, ten percentage points lower than the target of 75%, with a clear difference between medical personnel (69.2%) and nursing staff (61.9%). The figures are also lower than the previous year, but the growing trend in vaccinations continues, which public health authorities now want to step up.

Data from the general population show that Galicians’ commitment to vaccination remains. According to Sanidade data, as of January 1, 79.1% of Galicians aged 85 years have received influenza vaccine Among them, the coverage rate for people aged 70 to 84 is 76.4%, and the coverage rate for people aged 60 to 69 is 52.3%. The coverage rate for children under 5 years old reaches 50%.

Regarding coronavirus vaccines, the figures are higher than the Spanish average, and in some cases, such as those over 60 years old, the difference is more than 25 percentage points: in Galicia, 54% of people in the target group have been vaccinated, The national average is 27.7%. Galicia’s covid-19 vaccination rate remains among the best: 77.6% of people over 80 years old The 70 to 79 age group accounts for 67.7%. A total of 643,500 doses of coronavirus vaccine have been administered so far in this campaign.

Coverage is very high among infants, who have started receiving respiratory syncytial virus immunization this year.public health data description More than 93% of babies Immune.

Compliance with vaccination remains high in Galicia, although the proportion has declined. This was expected and foreseen by the scientific community. The logical thing is that the coverage would be more similar to 2019, given the unique circumstances of the pandemic over the past three years.

Coverage is expected to drop back to pre-pandemic levels over the coming campaign, which seems to be what is starting to happen in Galicia, despite current high levels of coverage. It’s impossible to compare covid-19 vaccinations to 2021 or 2022, and in the case of influenza, current coverage is lower than last year but still higher than pre-pandemic percentages.

pharmacy

There is one in the drugstore Increase in affected patients Typical symptoms of this winter. Santiago Leyes, director of the Ourense School of Pharmacists, said that there is a high incidence of influenza A, which was assessed by Montse Villar Ferrer, an Eirís pharmacist and member of the Council of the Ourense School of Pharmacists. Coruña agrees. To relieve symptoms, pharmacies sell “fever-reducing, mucolytic, expectorant, antitussive and anti-cold medicines.” Dispensing and sales increased across the entire range of drugs. ” Leyes said.

In testing, the increase in sales has been noticeable for several weeks. Most importantly, by requiring a triple test, through a nasal sample (using the same format as the coronavirus antigen test) we can distinguish whether there is a COVID-19 infection or influenza A or B. Villar Ferrer explained that the sales of these tests have increased in recent days due to the number of people attending family gatherings, “For responsibility”, to avoid infection. It also shows that in many cases, medications are needed to relieve dry and mucoid coughs after suffering such infections.

Immunization of adults against syncytial viruses, depending on target population

One of the next steps in the vaccination program, which has received approval from the European Medicines Agency and is awaiting assessment of scientific evidence, is expected to include a vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). For people over 60 years oldthis also applies to pregnant women.

Saúde Pública is waiting for the vaccine demonstration and the assessment of this scientific evidence by Galician experts, and to find out what price Spain will set for Arexvy (the commercial name of the vaccine).This also allows us to assess the cost/utility of this new therapeutic tool, which was demonstrated in a Phase 3 trial Risk reduced by 83% People over 80 years old have lower respiratory tract disease, and for people with pre-existing conditions, this rises to more than 90%.

This is precisely one of the decisions that must be made as to which specific target groups have the possibility of offering RSV immunization, taking into account age groups or analyzing other criteria.At present, the scientific community seems to prefer combine two questions and offering vaccines based on age criteria to people with pre-existing conditions such as heart and lung disease. Other countries are taking this option as they evaluate whether to include this immunization in their calendars.

Currently, possibilities that do not fall within the priorities of the Directorate General of Public Health or provide the vaccine at the national level include Whooping Cough Vaccine for Teenagers. Yes, there is a theoretical model that suggests revaccination every five years could combat the disease, but since the disease is generally not severe in the adolescent population, incorporating this option into vaccination programs is not a priority at this time matter. Ministry of Health or Europe.

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