“The Fimp Family Paediatricians are available to be an active part of this strategy, aware of being a certain point of reference for parents for healthcare interventions regarding prevention”. This was stated by Antonio D’Avino, National President of the Italian Federation of Pediatric Doctors, commenting on the circular issued to the Regions by the General Directorate of Prevention of the Ministry of Health with the “Prevention and immunization measures against the respiratory syncytial virus”.
“The hope – adds D’Avino – is that all the Regions can homogeneously implement the indications contained in the ministerial circular and make new solutions available to allow the implementation of adequate preventive strategies to protect the health of the little ones and reduce the healthcare burdens caused by RSV infections in the area and in hospitals”.
The prevention of RSV, Fimp recalls in a note, represents a public health priority, as the virus is the main cause of hospitalization and responsible for lower airway infections, such as bronchiolitis and bronchospasm, for newborns and children within the first year of life. The peak incidence of RSV occurs in the winter period, at the same time as other respiratory diseases, resulting in healthcare overload with thousands of visits to the family pediatrician’s clinics and emergency rooms, and hospitalizations and intensive care for the most serious forms. “Today, thanks to the availability of innovative monoclonal antibodies indicated for newborns and children – continues D’Avino – it is possible to prevent the circulation of the virus and protect the health of the pediatric population who, especially in the first year of age, is more exposed to the risks arising from the infection. In the same way as a vaccination programme, it would be appropriate to organize the administration of this monoclonal antibody directly in the hospital setting, before discharge from the maternity ward, for all children born in the epidemic period, between October and March, while children born in the period between April and September should be immunized in October of the year of birth, by local services and their family pediatrician”.
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