The Community of Madrid will begin the vaccination campaign facing the fall and winter season next October, immunizing babies up to 6 months against the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), the traditional campaign against the flu, which incorporates minors, and the administration of the third dose reinforcement against Covid-19 for risk groups.
This same Tuesday, the 12th, the Public Health Commission, in which all the Autonomous Communities and the Ministry of Health are represented, will address the updating of the criteria for the next vaccination campaign against flu and Covid-19.
In the case of the Madrid’s communitywhich is finalizing its organization, Immunization against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is scheduled to begin on October 1causing bronchiolitis and pneumonia, to babies up to six months old, born after April of this year.
Phages, viruses that fight antibiotic resistance
In this sense, the Community has acquired 50,000 doses of the vaccine that immunizes infants against bronchiolitis, with an investment of 10.8 million euros. RSV is a common and contagious seasonal pathogen that infects the lower respiratory tract, causing annual epidemics throughout the world and most frequently affecting infants.
Generally, case detection increases starting in October, reaching its epidemic peak between December and January. In Spain, 78% of severe cases of bronchiolitis are caused by RSV and it is estimated that almost 10% of healthy hospitalized children require intensive care.
In the Community of Madrid, the higher incidence figures, both episodes of bronchiolitis in Primary Care and emergency admissions, occurs in under 2 years oldespecially in the first year of life.
Specifically, vaccination will start on October 1 and is intended for those born on or after April 1. In the case of those born between that date and September 30, it will be carried out, by self-appointment, in five public hospitals.
For their part, the born from October 1 to March 31 They will receive immunization in the maternity wards of all public hospitals, before discharge or by self-appointment.
The covid vaccine, once a year for risk groups
FLU CAMPAIGN
As for the next flu campaign 2023/2024As a novelty on this occasion, it will also reach the children’s population between 6 months and 59 months (4 years and 11 months of age) for the first time. In this case, both for adults and for this age group for minors, it will begin in the second half of October.
In the case of the adults, will be aimed at people over 60 years of age and people included in risk groups. This last group includes chronically ill people, pregnant women, health professionals, social health workers, caregivers and essential services personnel, among others.
As on other occasions, it will be carried out in local health centers and clinics of the Community of Madrid, health centers of the City Council, Vaccination center of the Community of Madrid and other authorized vaccination points. In the case of the elderly, it can also be carried out in nursing homes.
The regional government has acquired 1.6 million doses of flu vaccinewith an investment of 18.9 million euros, an amount that would cover the needs of the population to which it is directed, taking into account that during the previous campaign it was administered to 1.4 million citizens in the region.
According to the data from the latest epidemiological bulletin of the Ministry of Health, so far this year there have been 40,791 flu casescompared to the 11,893 registered in the same period of 2022.
In the last week, from August 28 to September 3, the number of flu cases reported through the EDO Surveillance System (Notifiable Diseases) was 71 cases, 12 more compared to the previous week. In this way, the number of accumulated cases for the 2022/2023 season amounts to 58,916 cases.
Persistent covid, a chronic disease for at least 700,000 Spaniards
COVID BOOSTER DOSE
Also coinciding with the start of this flu vaccination campaign, the vaccine will also begin to be administered. third booster dose against Covid-19 for risk groups. That is, for people over 60 years of age, chronically ill people and social-health personnel.
In this case, the latest official data from the Ministry of Health point to a continued increase in the number of cases in recent weeks until reaching 232.1 cases of 14-day cumulative incidence per 100,000 inhabitants, with 2,065 cases in people over 60 years of age in the region from August 28 to August 3 September, 23.8% more than the previous week.
The immunization It will be carried out in local health centers and clinics, nursing homes, City Hall health centers, the Vaccination Center of the Community of Madrid and other authorized vaccination points.
In the specific case of socio-health personnel (senior residences and dependency centers) and for mutual members, an exclusive point for Covid will also be enabled at the Zendal Hospital.
The report with the ‘Vaccination recommendations against flu and Covid-19 in the 2023-2024 season in Spain’, published almost two months ago and carried out taking into account the epidemiological situation at that time, recommends vaccination against Covid-19 in the autumn-winter season (2023-2024) to the target population groups, and excludes the child and adult population that is not part of the target population.
Last year, due to the synergistic effect observed between the flu virus and SARSCoV-2 — doubling the risk of death in case of co-infection — a special emphasis was placed on increase flu vaccination coverage especially in health and social health personnel, older people, especially over 65 years of age, and those of any age with risk conditions.
He objective of this campaign is to protect the people most vulnerable to influenza, reducing its incidence as much as possible in the target groups and helping to reduce the impact on healthcare pressure.
2023-09-10 11:17:20
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