“The best plan this winter.” In line with this motto, the Spanish Vaccine Association (AEV) has launched a campaign asking the population to be immunized against diseases such as influenza, Covid-19 and pneumococcal diseases, which are currently preventable through injections. Vaccinologists warn that the best plan this winter is to prevent these diseases and protect those around you. This information is particularly targeted at people over 60, vulnerable groups and parents of children under 5, as the impact of these illnesses on young children can be devastating.
According to Fernando Moraga-Llop, a pediatrician, spokesman and senior member of the AEV, about 15 people die from influenza in Spain every year. Additionally, hospitalization rates for children under 5 are equal to or higher than those for children over 65. Specifically, according to data provided by vaccinologists, 4,239 children under the age of 5 are hospitalized for this disease each year, resulting in 58,640 primary care consultations. In addition, 56.1% of patients admitted to the ICU with influenza did not have any risk factors.
«Influenza is the most common immune-preventable disease in pediatrics. The protagonist of influenza epidemiology is the child, since he is the first to be infected. “Every year, 10% to 40% of children get the flu, while only 5% to up to 15% of adults get the flu every year,” Moraga-Lop stressed at a press conference on Friday.
An AEV spokesperson stressed that influenza in children is an “underestimated” and “underdiagnosed” disease, as there have been no confirmed cases of children not experiencing influenza symptoms, such as bronchiolitis or otitis media with fever, and responding to the illness . Although he believes Spain is already lagging behind as several countries have been vaccinating children against influenza for years, Moraga-Loppe believes “it’s time” to start vaccinating children. It was this year that the inter-regional health committee implemented the injection for children aged 6 months to 5 years in the vaccination programme. Pediatricians point out that in order to protect children under 6 months old, pregnant women are recommended to be vaccinated.
But in addition to the importance of vaccinating children, vaccinologists also emphasize the importance of immunization for people over 60 and vulnerable groups. “As we age, people begin to face more risks, even if we look young and healthy. Just as we exercise to stay in shape, we must also get vaccinated to keep our immune systems strong. Vaccines are the best way we can protect ourselves. Great opportunity. Vaccination is a healthy lifestyle habit,” said AEV President Jaime Pérez.
More than 30,000 people will die from COVID-19 in 2022
Pérez recalled that last year, Covid-19 was the most common cause of death in Spain, with 31,559 people dying, although 2022 is already considered post-pandemic. He said 96% of the deceased were over 60 years old. In the case of influenza, this continues, resulting in an average of 28,000 hospital admissions each year and, depending on the season, between 4,000 and 15,000 deaths. But the coverage rate for people aged 60-64 is only 36.26%. “Vaccination can prevent serious illness and in many cases save lives. We should not leave it to later when the threat of influenza or Covid-19 may be around the corner,” said the AEV president. He said the shot significantly reduced the risk of hospitalization from the flu and prevented 39 per cent of deaths.
Pneumococcal vaccination coverage is also of concern because, although there are no public data, experts estimate that pneumococcal vaccination coverage among the adult population is much lower than among children, at over 95%. «Although it varies from autonomous region to autonomous region, in general, this vaccine is compulsory for all people over the age of 60 to 65 years. Even if they are vaccinated, they may need to update their vaccinations based on current recommendations in their community, which is why we encourage them to check with their health center,” Perez said.
The scientific association also emphasizes the importance of vaccines in health systems, as disease prevention has a positive impact on the medical pressure on the system. «Pandemics such as influenza, Covid-19 or pneumonia occur in epidemic fashion at specific times of the year, causing health systems to be overloaded. Overloaded health systems provide poorer services to patients and reduce the time available to serve everyone, which can translate into quality of care,” in the words of the Vaccinologist Chair.