this Flu vaccine available this fall For the first time in Spain, Healthy children from 6 months to 5 years old, This is an innovation because the vaccine has previously only been administered to groups of infants with underlying conditions.
All the communities and municipalities of Ceuta and Melilla have already received doses of this year’s flu vaccine, which will benefit 1.6 million children, either the intranasal or intramuscular vaccine for children aged 2 to 5 years. From 6 months to 23 months, Javier Álvarez, member of the Vaccine Advisory Committee of the Spanish Pediatric Association (CAV-AEV), explained to EFE.
Last year, this cohort of infants was vaccinated against influenzal only in three autonomous regions: Andalusia, Galicia and Murcia, cThe expert said the results were “excellent”, with 50% coverage, and he was hoping for an average coverage of 55% to 60% in Spain.
prevent its circulation
Although these coverages may seem small, they are very important, because there has been a significant impact, “and the number of people who have the virus stops or spreads, so not only those who get vaccinated, but people around you“, said the expert.
Alvarez noted that the vaccine is administered to healthy children “to protect those who are vaccinated, but also because they are the main spreaders of the flu, mainly in schools and daycare centers, and they spread the virus to those who are vaccinated.” People who live together””.
With regard to influenza, the expert admits, “it took a long time for people to realize that it is not a small illness” and that it is not immune to complications, especially in children: “Influenza has to be taken seriously,” he warns .
In fact, flu affects between 20% and 40% of children, depending on how prevalent that year is, with 5% of cases ending up in the hospital because of its severity.
Two-thirds of hospitalized children are healthy, that is, no underlying diseaseso recommend “Vaccinate everyone, and vaccination is always a value”reiterated.
So this fall, the flu vaccine that is already on the national health system’s schedule will be given The cohort and children with underlying pathologyno matter your age.
Influenza can be vaccinated at the same time as other diseases: “The fewer vaccinations the better, because stressful moments overlap,” he adds.
Amós García Rojas, member of the European Standing Group of the World Health Organization and honorary member of the Spanish Association of Vaccinations (AEV), also spoke on this issue, expressing his concern that this year’s flu vaccine will include the healthy child population Appreciated because of “its important role in disease transmission”.
In a statement to EFE, García Rojas insisted that in countries where healthy children had been vaccinated, “significant reductions in influenza cases among adults were observed”.
coronavirus
and this autumn COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign García-Rojas believes that this intervention “will remain stable over the next few years,” albeit only for high-risk groups, given once a year and at the same time as the flu vaccine.
“Coronavirus has persisted, it’s not going to be diluted or faded, it’s going to stay with us, which means there will be some people in the population who are clearly at risk who will receive booster doses,” the former president said. .
New vaccines to be administered this year Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax adapted to covid-19 variants. Those required to receive the vaccine against COVID-19 will be older patients, patients with dangerous diseases, immunosuppressed patients, pregnant women and healthcare patients.
Pfizer reports that as most flu vaccines Distributed at the end of September, managed in October, “Our goal is to provide both Updated vaccine for Omicron XBB.1.5“.
go through modern Assurance that their updated vaccine has “significantly increased antibody neutralization against EG.5, FL 1.5.1 strains and XBB variants” and “will be ready for fall vaccination with sufficient global supply”.