Changes in Covid-19 vaccination and this year’s flu
Start date of the flu and covid vaccination campaign in each community
The Department of Health The next one will start October 1 The vaccination campaign against respiratory viruses with the most vulnerable groups: older people in residences, people with disabilities of special centers, infants under 6 months and students of the second cycle of children (children under 3 to 6 years).
For its part, the Vaccination campaign against the flu aimed at the rest of the population will start on October 15 Throughout the Valencian Community, prioritizing risk groups.
The Minister of Health, Marciano GómezHe explained that the vaccination campaign against respiratory viruses (flu, COVID-19 and VRS) “begins to prioritize the most fragile groups, in order to be protected before the arrival of the cold and the largest circulation of respiratory viruses.”
In relation to school vaccination, he recalled that “schools already have a Specific protocol To begin vaccination in front of the flu to the children of the educational centers on October 1. Parents may choose to immunize their children in the school itself, which facilitates conciliation, ”said Marciano Gómez.
That same day the campaign in front of the VRS will also begin In infants under 6 monthswhich for two years have received immunization during the virus circulation season. Those born from October 1 will be immunized in the maternity of hospitals and those previously born, from April 1 to October 1, in health centers.
The impact of this measure has allowed Avoid more than 80% of hospital income in infants since its launch in the last two years.
It should be remembered that infection by This virus is universal and in childhood it is the cause of the vast majority of cases of bronchiolitis in infants. This disease can study in the short and medium term complications, being able to cause bacterial infections such as pneumonia and otitis and paintings of persistent wheezing during the first five years of life.
For the first time adults will be immunized in front of the VRS
This year, since the VRS also seriously affects older people, for the first time in the Valencian Community will be immunized in front of the VRS to people of 60 years or older living in residences already adults with a committed immune system, especially vulnerable collective to possible complications.
This virus affects Extreme ages of life more seriously. Therefore, “for this year’s campaign we have also included the immunization of the people living in residences of the elderly, in order to avoid risks to an infection that can lead to a greater risk of hospitalizations,” said the Minister.
Likewise, it will be vaccinated in front of the VRS To people 18 years of age or older who have been transplanted of lung or hematopoietic precursors, groups in which the infection can be especially serious.
The Minister has highlighted the commitment of the Consell with the protection of health, especially that of the most vulnerable people, which has led to introduce for the first time in the Valencian Community, immunization against VRS in adults. He has also insisted on the Importance of vaccines To prevent the diseases caused by respiratory viruses and has invited the population to participate in the vaccination campaign, “because vaccinating means taking care of oneself and protecting our environment, and the vaccine is a simple and safe measure that saves lives every year,” he said.
Major in residences and disability centers
One of the main novelties of this year’s campaign is the inclusion of vaccination against Syncitial respiratory virus In the elderly who live in residences, approximately 35,000 older.
This group will jointly receive the three doses of vaccines in front of respiratory viruses (Flu, Covid and Vrs) Thanks to the mobilization of health professionals who will move to the centers.
Similarly, people with some type of disability who reside in special centers will also begin to be vaccinated in front of the flu and COVID 19 on October 1. In addition, users over 60 or with a committed immune system will be immunized in front of the VRs.
Vaccination campaign in schools
The Department of Health, In collaboration with education, the protocol for school vaccination has already sent to the centers. This year, students of the three courses of the 2nd Infant Cycle may be immunize at school, if families opt for this modality.
The initiative, launched last year, had great acceptance, with 38,417 vaccinated schoolchildren: 6,149 in Castellón, 19,327 in Valencia and 12,941 in Alicante.
The vaccine used is administered nasal, that is, it does not require a puncture and is specially designed for childhood. It is a safe and effective vaccine, as it reduces the risk of getting sick and avoids up to 8 out of 10 flu hospital income in the little ones. It is administered with a small dose in each nostril and is a trivalent vaccine.
The Generalitat first incorporated the intranasal vaccine, In the campaign in front of the influenza of 2023. This vaccine avoids the puncture to the little ones, since it is supplied in the form of nasal aerosol and among its benefits it stands out that neutralizes the virus in the entrance route, the nasal mucosa.
