Galicia vaccinates 40% of children under 5 against flu two months before the end of the campaign

The Minister of Health of Galicia, Antonio Gómez Caamaño, stressed at the plenary session of Parliament: that about 40% of children under five have already been vaccinated against influenza, the goal is to reach 60%, and that there are still two months left before the end of the campaign. The flu vaccination campaign began on September 23, and it is worth noting the high coverage in just one and a half months.

The head of the health department stressed that the Galician government is constantly introducing innovative vaccines to expand and fulfill its prevention obligations. For this reason, during his speech to Parliament, he announced new vaccination campaigns promoted by Kunta for 2025. In addition, he announced that Xunta will continue to increase investment in vaccines, allocating 41 million euros, an increase of 3% over this year.

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New vaccines

The adviser cited new vaccination campaigns against respiratory syncytial virus as an example of his department’s commitment to immunization. (VRS), immunization against human papillomavirus (HPV) also in men, or new method of intranasal administration against influenza which makes it possible to increase the vaccinated child population.

On protection against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the consultant said that 7,260 boys and girls have already been immunized in this year’s campaign, which began on September 23, representing about 90% of children participating in this vaccination campaign. He highlighted the good effectiveness of this vaccine, which showed an effectiveness of 82% in Galicia in last year’s campaign against hospitalizations due to respiratory tract infections.

“Right now, boys and girls who have not been vaccinated in hospitals have the opportunity to do so in their health center,” Caamaño recalled.

Pioneer of Galicia

Regarding protection against influenza in boys and girls from 6 months to 5 years, the consultant explained that Galicia was the pioneer to announce vaccination during the 2022-2023 campaign, achieving the highest coverage among the communities that introduced it into the calendar. In particular, in Galicia the figure reached 54.76%, compared to 45.8% in Andalusia or 45.1% in Murcia. Also in the 2023-2024 season, Galicia continued to lead in immunization. In these two campaigns, the vaccine used was injected.

The consultant reported that his department had chosen to introduce an attenuated intranasal vaccine for boys and girls aged 2 to 5 years as a novelty for this campaign because the delivery method was less invasive and had greater acceptance. Likewise, the efficacy is expected to be higher as it locally activates the immune system and this increases the neutralization of the virus in the nasal mucosa.

Vaccination against HPV

Regarding vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV), the consultant explained that since 2008 in Galicia, immunization has been carried out among female children, but since January 1, 1994, nothing has been done. From September 2022, this immunization was also introduced to male infants, providing bidirectional protection. , in addition to preventing oropharyngeal and anal ulcers in men.

This year, the Junta also launched a new vaccination strategy against the virus to immunize 27,000 men born between 2006 and 2009.

In addition, taking into account the scientific data, Gómez Caamaño stressed that his department has decided to switch to a single dose of the vaccine for both girls and boys, since the single dose regimen is very effective.

Regarding the percentage of vaccination coverage among girls since it was included in the immunization schedule at the age of 12 years, the consultant emphasized that it is about 100%.that in children it is slightly lower, but the Ministry of Health expects that greater coverage will be achieved by moving to a single dose.

The Minister of Health concluded his speech by saying that next year the department will strengthen protection against human papillomavirus for young men under the age of 21.

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