4,300 babies on the islands have already been vaccinated to protect them against bronchiolitis.

immunization campaign against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), intended for newborns and infants on the islands, has already been vaccinated 4284 babies from the Canary Islands against this highly contagious virus, 965 more than in the eighth week of 2023, representing growth 22.53% compared to the same period in 2023, the Ministry of Health of the Canary Islands government said in a statement.

HRV represents the main cause of acute lower respiratory tract infection in children under one year of agecausing pathologies such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia, against which until now there have been no general pharmacological preventive measures, such as monoclonal antibodies, the note adds.

This year it’s the second season of this immunological intervention is carried out in the Canary Islands. “In the previous campaign, this process demonstrated its effectiveness, significantly reducing the number of hospitalizations for bronchiolitis among the population targeted by this campaign,” the Ministry of Health emphasizes.

Simple transfer

RSV can be easily transmitted in the community, including kindergartens, schools and homes,” the Department said. Health urges parents to protect their children with this vaccine “Passed all technical filters after the European Commission authorized the new monoclonal antibody nirsevimab, which protects against this virus that has a significant impact on this age group.”

SCS health center and hospital professionals are responsible for directly immunizing the target population after contacting the parents of susceptible users and arranging vaccination appointments with them.

In hospitals, antibodies are administered to newborns, and in medical centers – to children as young as six months of age. throughout the vaccination season.

Among pediatric specialists there are consensus to reduce incidence of bronchiolitis who came to them for consultations last season regarding vaccination of children.

“In any pediatric service, whether primary care or hospital, there is a before and after of this treatment. The cases were milder, there were fewer hospitalizations and consultations,” the vice-president of the Canary Society of Community Pediatrics emphasized to the newspaper, noting that specialized publications consider the hypothesis that treatment not only protects against respiratory syncytial virus, but reduces the likelihood of contracting bacterial pneumonia .

Second cause of infant mortality

Montesdeoca stressed the importance of protecting infants from bronchiolitis, first cause of infant death in the world after malaria. “70% of hospitalizations in pediatric intensive care units are patients with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV),” the doctor commented on the disease, which poses the highest risk of hospitalization for children under one year old, especially in the autumn-winter period.