The Vaccine Advisory Committee of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics (CAV-AEP) has published the update corresponding to the year 2023 of the recommended immunization schedule for children and adolescents residing in Spain. As a novelty, the calendar has since changed the term “immunizations” to “immunizations.” it no longer includes only vaccines; in 2023, a monoclonal antibody was incorporated as a preventative measure against the disease respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)causing bronchiolitis, so common in recent months.
“Monoclonal antibodies are parenterally administered drugs that directly transfer ‘man-made’ antibodies against a virus to help fight infection”
Francesco Alvarez, CAV-AEP coordinator
The employment of nirsivamabthe name given to the monoclonal antibody against RSV, it is recommended for children under six months of age and up to two years of age in risk groups for this disease.
“Treatments with monoclonal antibodies they are not the same as vaccines. Monoclonal antibodies are drugs that are administered parenterally by direct transfer of “artificial” antibodies. against a virus to help fight the infection. The vaccinesInstead, they work by prompting the immune system to develop lasting defenses against it, including the production of natural antibodies”, he clarifies Francisco Álvarez, CAV-AEP coordinator.
“Our goal is to equalize the health benefits of the different autonomous communities, even if there are still important vaccines to be incorporated”
Francesco Alvarez, CAV-AEP coordinator
Furthermore, this year paediatricians celebrate the inclusion of three new vaccines in the basic portfolio of the National Health System: the meningococcus B for children under two years of agethat of human papillomavirus (HPV) in 11-12 year oldsand that of flu for children 6 to 59 months. “It is a big step towards our goal of equalizing the health benefits of the different autonomous communities, even if there are still important vaccines to be incorporated: rotavirus in newborns, which is funded only in Castilla y León; that of meningococcal ACWY at 12 months of age, which has only six autonomous communities; and the memory of whooping cough in adolescents between 12 and 14 years old”, underlines Álvarez.
Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in all children and adolescents aged 5 to 18 years with mRNA vaccines
The CAV-AEP, on the other hand, requests the search for one more year new methods of financing vaccines not included in the free programme to make it easier for families to buy them, as well creation of a national immunization committee in which, in addition to the public health technicians of the Ministry and the Autonomous Communities, scientific societies and patients participate, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). “In this way, the decisions taken would have greater consensus and social support,” says the CAV-AEP coordinator.
Other notable facts
- The no discrimination between funded and unfunded vaccines because the AEP believes that all systematic vaccinations should be applied to all children and adolescents.
- Maintenance of the vaccination regimen against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, Haemophilus influenzae type b, poliomyelitis and hepatitis B with hexavalent vaccines, with a 2+1 regimen (2, 4 and 11 months) which provides for the application of a dose of poliomyelitis at six years of age.
- Insist, given the limited duration of immunity against whooping coughin recommending standard burden diphtheria and pertussis vaccine (DTaP) or failing that low antigenic burden (Tdpa) vaccine at six years, associated with IPV, and to be followed by another dose of Tdpa at 12- 14 years.
- Guideline maintenance pneumococcal vaccination 2+1 (2, 4 and 11 months), with the reaffirmation that VNC13 is the vaccine that best adapts to the current epidemiological characteristics of our country.
- Recommendation for the introduction of the vaccine against meningococcus b as systematic in infants, in a 2+1 regimen from two months of age. However, if it is not desired to co-administer it, by the family or the professional, it can be separated for as long as desired (not more than 1 or 2 weeks is desirable), although it will take longer to start the protection.
- The flu vaccination in all children from six to 59 months of age that protects and prevents contagion to other elderly people.
- Maintenance of the vaccination regimen against meningococus A, C, W and Ywith a schedule of one dose at four months of MenC-TT and two doses of MenACWY, one at 12 months and another at 12-14 years.
- Maintenance of the vaccination calendar triple viral (measles, rubella and mumps) e chicken pox with two doses, recommending tetraviral vaccine (SRPV) for the second dose.
- The vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in all children and adolescents aged 5 to 18 years with mRNA vaccines and 6 to 59 months in risk groups.
- Recommendation of the human papillomavirus vaccine in both sexes at 11-12 years of age, because the burden of neoplastic disease in men due to this virus is also important.
Outside the children’s calendar, it is still recommended Tdpa vaccination of the pregnant woman from the 27th week of gestation. Also the mRNA covid vaccine at any time during pregnancy and also the flu shot if it coincides with the seasonal campaign.
