“New Flu Strains in Spain: Viatris Begins Preparing Influvac Tetra Vaccine for Next Season”

Viatris begins preparing its Influvac Tetra vaccine against new flu strains in Spain. In this way, the company responds quickly to the announcement of new flu strains. For this reason, it is already working to take on the challenge of immunization for the next season.

José Antonio Forcada, president of the National Association of Nursing and Vaccines and secretary of the Spanish Vaccinology Association affirms that, “the last flu epidemic of this 2023 has had a fairly high incidence, even exceeding the data registered before the pandemic. With two relevant peaks, the first in January and the second at the end of February, the flu has mainly affected young people”. However, society does not value the flu as a serious disease despite carrying a high mortality.

It should be remembered that the Annual vaccination is the most effective way to prevent flu infection from new strains. However, the influenza vaccination rate is significantly below the WHO target and a higher level of immunization is needed to achieve better protection against the disease across Europe.

New flu strains in Spain

The current flu season keeps reminding us that COVID-19 is not the only virus we need to worry about. After two winters in which pandemic precautions quelled the flu, the past few months have shown that the Influenza virus remains a major public health threat. In Spain, for example, during the week 07/2023 the global rate of acute respiratory infections was 786 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. In addition, the highest rates have been in the 0 to 4-year-old group, with almost 2,500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. That is why it is important to start working now on vaccines for the new flu strains in Spain.

As you remember from Viatris, seasonal flu carries a huge health and socioeconomic burden, with an estimate of between 3 and 5 million cases of severe illness and between 290,000 and 650,000 deaths worldwide each year. Furthermore, mortality among high-risk groups (including the elderly, pregnant women, healthcare workers, children, and adults with chronic diseases) is even more pronounced.