Experts Emphasize Importance of Vaccination in Preventing Respiratory Infections: Highlights from World Immunization Week

Vaccination plays a vital role in preventing respiratory infections caused by the AIDS virus. grasprespiratory syncytial virus (RSV), SARS-Cov-2, whooping cough and pneumococcus, pathogens that affect young children and the elderly. Now, in a meeting organized around World Immunization Week by Pfizer and the National Association of Health Informants (ANIS)experts emphasize that a vaccine is a “waste resource” that could help protect people in other age groups who suffer from certain pathologies, and especially patients chronic respiratory diseases, and is essential in trying to prevent hospitalization and related complications.

The meeting was well attended Carmen Pingarron, head of the gynecology service at the QuirónsaludSan José de Hospital Madrid; Maria Garces Sanchezpediatrician at Nazareth Health Center (Valiant) and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Vaccines from Spanish Association of Pediatrics (CAV-AEP); Isabel Jimeno, Family doctor, CEO of SEMG Vaccine Group (Spanish Association of General and Family Physicians) and a member of the NeumoExpertos group; Angel Gilprofessor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the King Juan Carlos University from Madrid and member of the NeumoExpertos group; Jose Chavezmedical director of Pfizer Spain; Mate Hernandezcommunications director at Pfizer and Graziella Almendralpresident of the National Association of Health Informants (ANIS).

Graziella Almendral recalled in this context that the data from the WHO indicate that the total number of lives saved as a result of vaccines is 50 million, analyzing the period between 2000 and 2019 alone. The figure from the same group, saved for the debate by José Chaves, has saved 4-5 million lives every year, although there is still room for improvement,” he said.

For her part, Carmen Pingarrón has indicated that there is an increase in income from the end of autumn and the beginning of spring. infection caused by RSV, 70% bronchiolitis, 24% complications and 5% pneumonia. The virus is particularly harmful to vulnerable people (newborns, babies, children under 12 with pathologies, immunocompromised people, people with COPD – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – or congestive heart failure, among others, “but it can also affect healthy adults, especially if we are older than 65 years, who may suffer the effects of the disease worse.”

Likewise, she pointed out that 33 million cases of infection are recorded every year in children under 5 years of age, and “as a gynecologist,” she pointed out the benefits of vaccination for pregnant women, “which are not it not only protects the mothers, but also their children, who are already born with combined antibodies without which it would be difficult for them to deal with diseases.” When the vaccination process begins in babies, which happens when they are six weeks old, “a valuable period of almost two months is lost when they enjoy the protection provided by maternal vaccination.”

She and the rest of the meeting participants have emphasized the broad level agreement in this regard, both between scientific societies and in the different administrations.

María Garcés has shown that RSV is a pathogen with a major impact on real life stages, and that there is a “dramatic” element for clinicians because there is no specific treatment, pointing to the advent of the vaccine that “finishing the picture. “protection.”

Recalling the impact of previous vaccines, he pointed out that since the launch of vaccines against pneumococcus, “170 million cases of infection have been avoided in the world.”

Isabel Jimeno has focused on the adult population served in Primary Care consultations, including both healthy people and patients with chronic and immune diseases in her evaluations .

He has highlighted problems with data such as the fact that 7-8% of people admitted for pneumococcal pneumonia suffer episodes of a cardiovascular nature: “The vaccine not only protects the against infectious diseases, but also against problems that may appear in other areas. .” or the systems of the organism.

Acknowledging the possibility that there were obstacles to the widespread vaccination of the population, Ángel Gil tends to start with people older than 79 years, to expand the campaigns until he protects all the people in need on. “In Galiciathe vaccination calendar has given a special pillar to this segment of the population, which I consider successful,” he said.