SEVILLA, 10 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Andalusian Association of Family and Community Nursing (Asanec), SAMFyC, Semergen-Andalucía and SEGG-Andalucía have defended the immunization of the adult population against the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), until now intended only for infants. In a document prepared jointly, they insist on “the need” to implement new prevention strategies against respiratory diseases based on vaccine developments.
Asanec’s vaccination manager, Eva Almán, explained that viral infections “are increasingly associated with a significant burden of respiratory diseases in adults.” The flu virus and RSV are two of the viruses that most frequently cause infections, complications and hospitalizations in people over 60 years of age, especially in frail and high-risk patients, as well as in infants under six months of age. and vulnerable up to two years.
“The possibility of having different prevention strategies available places us in an ideal context to reduce complications, hospital pressure and mortality in this population,” Almán stressed.
In this sense, the Andalusian scientific societies of Primary Care have stated that, in the same way that it is prevented through immunization of infants, “there are other alternatives for the prevention of RSV infection at different ages where the virus causes greater impact of complications”.
In 2023, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved different vaccine preparations against Respiratory Syncytial Virus, a recombinant and adjuvanted vaccine – for active immunization of people aged 60 and over – and another recombinant, non-adjuvanted, bivalent vaccine – -contains variants A and B– indicated for pregnant women -with production of maternal antibody response– and for people aged 60 and over.
“After the implementation of immunizations with monoclonal antibodies against RSV in the 23-24 season in newborns, infants and vulnerable children, we have seen a decrease in admissions and complications of a disease with high clinical impact,” said the person in charge. from Asanec.
In this way, the document includes the recommendation for the coming seasons to continue encouraging the prevention of respiratory diseases through vaccination and, in this case, the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease in adults. through the new vaccines approved by the EMA.
“Increasing the availability of diagnostic tools at different levels of care, stimulating research activities by the scientific societies involved, is another of the necessary measures to prevent major peaks in respiratory diseases during the winter season,” Asanec, the SAMFyC, Semergen-Andalucía and SEGG-Andalucía. Likewise, they have considered it necessary to implement new strategies based on the aforementioned vaccine developments for the coming seasons.
“We will also continue to insist and encourage the Andalusian population to be vaccinated against respiratory diseases, without forgetting the importance of individual protection measures and hand washing to avoid the transmission of these respiratory diseases,” concluded the Group coordinator. of work on Asanec Vaccines.
Asanec is the Andalusian Association of Family and Community Nursing made up of nurses from all over Andalusia who, without profit, work for and for the development of the profession.
Asanec, as a scientific society, pursues the improvement of healthcare quality at the community level from the defense of public health, influencing and dialoguing with the Administrations. Among its purposes is to provide training and research in nursing practice to offer quality care to the community, as well as to collaborate with other scientific societies and associations for the better development of the profession.
