The importance of vaccination against influenza, VRS and COVID-19
Our pharmacist Montse Fernández Carazo tells us everything you need to know in this article about:
- 2023-2024 vaccination campaign against influenza and Covid-19.
- Immunization against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Protecting ourselves easily, safely and effectively against diseases before we come into contact with them is possible thanks to vaccination.
Vaccines trigger the body’s natural defenses and thus reduce the risk of contracting diseases. They act by triggering a response from our immune system that: recognizes the invading microbe (e.g. a virus or bacteria); generates antibodies, which are proteins that our immune system naturally produces to fight disease; remembers the disease and how to fight it.
Vaccines are administered through different routes, such as intramuscular injection, subcutaneous injection, oral administration or nasal inhalation.
Below we will discuss the recommendations published by the Ministry of Health regarding vaccination against influenza and COVID-19 season 2023-2024 as well as the use of nirsevimab against respiratory syncytial virus for the season 2023-2024.
- Recommendations for vaccination against influenza and COVID-19 season 2023-2024 in Spain published by the Ministry of Health.
The main objective of vaccination against influenza and COVID-19 is to reinforce the protection of the most vulnerable people and of health and socio-health care personnel in order to reduce morbidity and mortality and the impact of these diseases on health and socio-health care capacity. Taking into account the current epidemiological situation of COVID-19, vaccination during the autumn-winter season (2023-2024) is recommended for the target population groups specified below.
Regarding influenza, the campaign will be directed to those population groups at higher risk of complications in case of influenza infection and to people who can transmit it to others with a high risk of complications.
The aim of the Covid-19 vaccination is to reinforce the protection of the most vulnerable people and of health and social-health care personnel in order to reduce morbimortality and the impact of this disease on health care capacity.
Target population groups for seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccination
– Vaccination against influenza and COVID-19
The administration of vaccination against influenza and COVID-19 in the 2023-2024 season is recommended for the following population groups:
A) Because of the increased risk of complications or severe pictures in case of suffering from these infections:
– Persons 60 years of age or older.
– Persons 5 years of age or older in nursing homes and homes for the elderly, as well as other long-term institutionalized persons and residents of closed institutions.
-Persons under 60 years of age with the following risk conditions:
diabetes mellitus and Cushing’s syndrome.
morbid obesity (body mass index ≥40 in adults, ≥35 in adolescents or ≥3 SDs in childhood)
chronic cardiovascular, neurologic or respiratory diseases, including bronchopulmonary dysplasia, cystic fibrosis and asthma
chronic kidney disease and nephrotic syndrome
hemoglobinopathies and anemias or hemophilia, other coagulation disorders and chronic bleeding disorders, as well as recipients of blood products and multiple transfusions
asplenia or severe splenic dysfunction
chronic liver disease, including chronic alcoholism
severe neuromuscular disease
immunosuppression (including primary immunodeficiencies and those resulting from HIV infection or drugs, as well as in transplant recipients and complement deficiency)
cancer and hematological malignancies
cerebrospinal fluid fistula and cochlear implantation or awaiting cochlear implantation
celiac disease
chronic inflammatory disease
disorders and diseases involving cognitive dysfunction: Down’s syndrome, dementia and others
Pregnant women in any trimester of gestation and women during the puerperium (up to 6 months after delivery and who have not been vaccinated during pregnancy).
People living with those who have a high degree of immunosuppression: in general this refers to hematopoietic progenitor transplant recipients, solid organ transplant recipients, chronic renal failure, HIV infection with low CD4 CD4 count (<200 cells/ml), some primary immunodeficiencies and those undergoing certain immunosuppressive therapies.
- B) To reduce the impact and maintenance of critical and essential services to the community:
Staff of public and private health and social-health centers and facilities (both health and non-health).
People working in essential public services, with special emphasis on the following subgroups:
State security forces and corps, with national, regional or local dependence, as well as the Armed Forces.
Civil protection services.
– Influenza vaccination
In addition to the above, vaccination against influenza is recommended for:
Children between 6-59 months of age.
People from 5 to 59 years of age who are at higher risk of complications derived from influenza:
Persons 5-18 years of age receiving prolonged treatment with acetylsalicylic acid, due to the possibility of developing Reye’s syndrome after influenza.
Smokers.
Students in internships in health and social-health centers. – People with direct occupational exposure to animals or their secretions in poultry, swine or mink farms, or to wildlife (birds, wild boars or mustelids), such as farmers, veterinarians, farm workers, hunters, ornithologists, environmental agents, zoo personnel, etc. The aim is to reduce the chance of concomitant infection of human and avian or swine viruses by reducing the possibility of recombination or genetic exchange between the two viruses.
In persons targeted for vaccination, a single dose of influenza vaccine and a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine should be administered, except in pediatric-aged or severely immunosuppressed persons who may require other guidelines (consult).
There is sufficient evidence to recommend that persons with a history of allergy following egg exposure can receive influenza vaccines without special precautions, both inactivated and attenuated vaccines. Precautions should be similar to those taken before the administration of any other vaccine. In case of severe allergic reactions, vaccination should be carried out by experienced and supervised personnel for 30 minutes after administration.
To request an appointment or more information, please contact us by whatsapp at 679173648.
- Recommendations for the use of nirsevimab against respiratory syncytial virus for the 2023-2024 season published by the Ministry of Health.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children under one year of age, especially those related to bronchiolitis and pneumonia, as well as in the adult population over 65 years of age and in people at risk.
Worldwide, it is the second leading cause of death in children under one year of age. In Spain, RSV infections annually represent a significant healthcare overload every winter, both in primary care services and in hospitals, including emergency room visits, occupation of hospital wards and pediatric intensive care units.
Therefore, after conducting a review of the scientific literature and an evaluation of the use of nirsevimab in the population under 1 year of age, it is recommended in order of priority, and only for this 2023-2024 season, in the following population groups:
– Infant population at high risk for severe RSV disease, including (a) preterm infants with gestational age <35 weeks (administration of a single dose before 12 months of age); (b) patients with congenital heart disease with significant cyanosing or noncyanosing hemodynamic involvement, (c) patients with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and (d) patients with other underlying conditions that pose a high risk for severe RSV bronchiolitis. In patients with risk conditions b, c and d, nirsevimab will be administered prior to each RSV season before 24 months of age at the time of immunization.
– Infants under 6 months of age at the start of or during RSV season: For the 2023-2024 season, nirsevimab is recommended for infants under 6 months of age born on or after April 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024. Priority will be given to immunizing those born during the season and those born previously will be immunized as soon as possible (month of October).
Efforts should be made to immunize the majority of the target population at the beginning of the RSV season (in October). Also, those born during the season (October – March) should receive nirsevimab very early (preferably within the first 24-48 hours after birth) due to the increased severity of RSV disease in the first days of life.
