Health wants to stop the flu before December with vaccination

PalmThe Regional Ministry of Health is launching a new seasonal flu vaccination campaign, with special attention to protecting at-risk groups and children. Vaccination officially begins on October 13 and will run until March 31, 2026, although the Regional Minister of Health, Manuela García, has recommended that everyone be vaccinated before early December. Vaccination in nursing homes, institutionalized centers, and educational centers will begin on October 6, and general vaccination for the rest of the population will begin on October 13. For this latter group, appointments can now be made through the Patient Portal, Infosalut Connecta, or directly at their health centers.

For this campaign, the Regional Government has purchased a total of 276,800 doses of vaccines with an investment of €2,776,266. The vaccines will be distributed by group as follows: 142,000 doses are for people over 65 years of age; 103,000 for the rest of the general population; 22,000 intranasal doses will be given to schoolchildren (from 24 months of age); 7,000 intramuscular doses will be given to children between 6 and 23 months of age; and 4,800 doses will be given to people institutionalized in nursing homes and social-health centers.

In addition, joint vaccination against COVID-19 is also planned for people with risk factors from the age of 12, pregnant women, those over 60, those living with immunocompromised patients, and healthcare and essential services personnel. In these cases, access to the vaccine against the virus will also be facilitated. Although it is no longer strictly seasonal, it continues to circulate persistently throughout the year. In parallel, vaccination against the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is also being maintained. Last year, RSV reduced hospitalizations and ICU admissions in children by 70% thanks to the vaccine's inclusion in the vaccination schedule, as celebrated by the regional coordinator of Pediatrics, Juan Carlos de Carlos.

Deadly virus

The regional minister explained that influenza is a highly contagious infectious disease transmitted through respiratory droplets generated when we speak, cough, or sneeze. Although it often causes mild symptoms, such as fever, cough, or sore throat, it can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, especially in vulnerable people. It is not a trivial disease. During the last season (2023-2024), 1.2 million cases of influenza were recorded in Spain, with 38,400 hospitalizations, 2,130 admissions to intensive care units, and 2,660 deaths attributed to the disease. Furthermore, the high incidence of cases can lead to overcrowding in emergency departments and hospitals, especially during peak weeks of transmission. According to data collected by the Health Ministry, the incidence of influenza is particularly high among children under five, with people over 70 years of age being at greatest risk of hospitalization. Young children also rank second in the number of influenza admissions.

One of the pillars of this campaign is childhood vaccination. Last year, a pilot plan was carried out in 24 schools with 2,800 children, achieving vaccination coverage of 43%, a figure higher than in previous years. This year, vaccination is being expanded to all schools in the Balearic Islands, with the goal of immunizing 28,000 children in the second cycle of Early Childhood Education in 353 schools. The vaccine will be administered intranasally directly in schools. Vaccination has also been extended to children up to seven years of age. In this case, they will need to go to a health center. The Director General of Public Health, Elena Esteban, explained that it will consist of a booster dose, because these are children who were already eligible for vaccination. However, for children aged 6 to 23 months, the vaccine will continue to be administered intramuscularly in health centers. Children under 6 months of age cannot be vaccinated because they lack the capacity to generate antibodies. However, they can be protected if their mothers are vaccinated during pregnancy, as they transmit the antibodies to their babies. For this reason, the Health Department emphasizes the importance of vaccinating pregnant women.

In addition to children, vaccination is also recommended for all people over 60 years of age; pregnant and postpartum women up to six months; people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, morbid obesity, cardiovascular or hematological diseases, immunodeficiencies, or cancer; people institutionalized in nursing homes or social-health centers; those living with or caring for immunocompromised people; healthcare professionals, pharmacists, essential service personnel such as firefighters, police officers, civil protection personnel, staff at youth and early childhood education centers; daycare and early childhood education center workers; as well as veterinarians and livestock farm workers.

Fighting disinformation

García insisted that the vaccine is very safe, with minimal side effects, and that there is no specific treatment for the flu, only symptomatic treatments. Therefore, prevention is key. Emphasis is also placed on the need to combat misinformation and false headlines about vaccination. This year, a communication campaign has been designed with an investment of €150,000, which includes three audiovisual pieces starring doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, and will be broadcast on television, social media, and in public spaces, such as bus shelters. The Regional Minister of Health, Manuela García, emphasized that the memory of the pandemic cannot disappear. "We are forgetting what we experienced during the epidemic. We cannot let our guard down. Vaccines continue to be the best weapon to protect ourselves against viruses that are still circulating," she asserted. She also highlighted the success of the vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus, which has prevented collapses in pediatric emergency services.

For his part, Juan Carlos de Carlos expressed his pride in the consolidation of a vaccination schedule that he considers one of the best in the country. He emphasized that the Balearic Islands have made a decisive commitment to seasonal and systematic vaccination, especially in children, and stressed that this year they have managed to reduce hospital and ICU admissions due to respiratory viruses by 70%. He stated that there is no established upper limit: the goal is to continue expanding coverage and protecting the population as much as possible.