“Intranasal Flu Vaccines for Children: Benefits and Availability in Spain”

The flu season 2023 It started after a significant increase in cases in the last weeks of December and an advance in the previous months of 2022. After January of this year, at the end of February, beginning of March, there was a particularly important wave of flu in children under 14 years of age with an incidence greater than 150 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and even reaching 200 cases per 100,000 inhabitants at the beginning of March between the ages of 5 and 14, according to data from the Influenza Surveillance System in Spain of the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII).

After the year of Covid-19, in which there were no cases of flu, it returned in 2022, changing its way of acting. After appearing outside its traditional season, the pathology produced by influenza viruses returned in its natural months, producing reinfections and high transmission. The main tool to deal with this situation is vaccines, and in this sense, this year the vaccines have finally arrived. intranasal vaccines to our country.

Murcia approved in November the free intranasal administration of this aerosol to children between 2 and 4 years of age.

In 2013, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommended the approval of the first inhaled vaccine. tetravalent, that is, it offers protection against four virus strains -A/(H1N1), A/(H3N2) and two B- strains. After authorization in the United States, where this attenuated virus prophylactic therapy is approved for healthy non-pregnant people between the ages of 2 and 49, the vaccine arrived in Europe with authorization for children and adolescents between 12 months and 17 years of age included.

In October 2022, in Spain, the nasal administration aerosol landed in the pharmacy where the parents of these patients can buy them under medical prescription, for their subsequent administration by a nursing professional. Although at the national level no measure has been taken to incorporate this serum into the pediatric vaccination schedule, some autonomies have taken the step.

Murcia approved in November free intranasal administration of this aerosol to children between 2 and 4 years of age. A path that Galicia, Andalusia and recently also the Valencian Department of Health have followed with the approval for minors between 2 and 5 years of age (24 to 59 months of age).

ADVANTAGES OF THE VACCINE

This vaccine avoids the inconvenience of a puncture in the little ones. According to a study of acceptability performed by Ministry of Health of Murcia, he 44% of the parents surveyed preferred the use of the intranasal vaccine over the intramuscular one, and there was high satisfaction regarding the vaccination schedule with the new incorporation. A faster, simpler and more comfortable form of prophylaxis administration.

An aerosol that, as they point out in the study from the Ministry, is “very safe”. In addition, “it has other characteristics that differentiate it from the traditional ones”, indicates the Dr. Javier Alvarez Aldean, member of the Vaccine Advisory Committee of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics (CAV-AEP) to Consalud.es.

Dr. Álvarez Aldeán: “Being a live vaccine, it reproduces in the respiratory mucosa, producing a simulation of the disease and with it an immune response with antibodies at a local or general level”

The drug is administered through a nose spray. It is a vaccine with live attenuated virus, instead of an inactive virus. “Being a live vaccine, it reproduces in the respiratory mucosa, producing a simulation of the disease and with it an immune response with antibodies at a local or general level”, explains Dr. Álvarez Aldeán. “This is a more robust and complete immunity,” he continues.

In recent years, the ability of this vaccine to protect against the group A streptococcus. The British health authorities pointed out that the intranasal attenuated flu vaccine could reduce the incidence of the bacterial pathology that causes many serious infections in children. According to different studies collected by the Vaccine Committee of the AEP, the flu opens the doors to this bacterial infection that in a high percentage of cases causes a serious illness in children, and even becomes fatal. In 2022 two children died for this pathology in the Community of Madrid.

As Dr. Javier Álvarez Aldeán recalls, getting vaccinated against the flu and having individual protection is highly recommended, “not only children, but also adults, the elderly, pregnant women or people with chronic pathologies.” Following the evidence obtained from international and national experience, intranasal vaccines are expected to be implemented in the pediatric vaccination schedules of the autonomous regions, adding to the current intramuscular vaccines that are also effective and safe.

Because health we all need… ConSalud.es