The Ministry of Health’s decision to begin vaccination against the bronchiolitis virus for older adults in October (until now, only children under the age of two had been vaccinated) meets the demands of the Valencian Society of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, which still calls for all those over 75 to be vaccinated in future campaigns.
For now, vaccinations will begin in the fall with residents of nursing homes and severely immunocompromised individuals, such as bone marrow or lung transplant recipients. The Health Department has purchased 40,000 doses to distribute among residents in the three provinces. The campaign will run during the fall and winter and will coincide with the flu and COVID-19 vaccinations, allowing recipients to receive all three vaccines in a single care visit, thus facilitating access to vaccine protection.
Equalizing Europe
“The respiratory syncytial virus primarily attacks the two most vulnerable ages: the very young and the elderly. I believe that the 40,000 doses are just a preliminary amount. In most European countries, vaccination of those over 75 is being recommended and administered,” explains the president of the Society of Preventive Medicine, Dr. Juan Francisco Navarro, head of the unit at Elche Hospital.
Of these doses, he points out, 80 or 90% will be for users of social-health centres, where they will receive the new vaccine, and the rest for bone marrow transplant recipients and lung transplant recipients, who are few in number. These will have to go to the hospitals’ Preventive Medicine services to get vaccinated.
Expensive Vaccines
“They are expensive vaccines and will probably require budgetary availability, but if we have a bit of success this year, vaccination groups will likely be expanded to next year, because vaccinating those over 75 would really be very good. There is a very high population in that age group, and they tend to have a good immune system, which would respond very well to the vaccine.”
Coverage
“I believe that right now, with these two groups, good coverage has been assured. The vast majority of inmates in social-health centres will be vaccinated, and those at very high risk as well. But I trust that this will be the beginning of an expansion of vaccinations to other adult ages.”
Prior to the campaign, Community Preventive Care physicians will receive online training on respiratory syncytial virus.
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