SALESI – The regional vaccination campaign against influenza and covid-19 starts tomorrow. Despite the high temperatures of recent weeks discouraging their spread, the viruses have already been starting to circulate in Italy for a few days, so it is highly recommended to resort to the administration for the most fragile groups of the population: people aged 60 or over, fragile subjects and their family members or close contacts, guests of elderly and long-term care facilities, pregnant and post-partum women, health and social care workers. But also children, as underlined by Ines Carloni, head of SOSD pediatric infectious diseases at the Salesi hospital in Ancona.
«In the ministerial circular of April 2023, the need to bring forward the vaccination campaign to the first half of October was expressed, in relation to the advance forecast of the circulation of the influenza virus, based on data from the Influnet network – reiterates Carloni – there is no concern, rather awareness of the fact that the flu is never a “trivial disease”, both for possible direct and indirect damages, such as increased healthcare spending, prolonged school absences, parent absences from work. The direct risks are aimed at children with another underlying pathology, already targeted for vaccination: heart patients, diabetics, oncological, with immunodeficiency, chronic lung diseases, even asthma, under treatment with immunosuppressants or salicylates. But also to healthy children, in whom the flu can equally require hospitalization for supportive therapies or for superimposed complications, especially in the age group under 2-3 years. This has posed the indication for the expansion of the vaccination offer, since last year, to children aged 6 months to 6 years”.
Why little ones? Because they get sicker more (30% vs 5-15% of other age groups), they harbor the virus for longer and in greater quantities in relation to the incomplete maturation of the immune system, spreading the virus to the whole community even for the high degree of socialization. «To protect children and caregivers we need to implement adequate hygiene behaviours, which have now become more familiar to us after the pandemic – adds the doctor – the most effective form of prevention is vaccination, which is safe and has proven effectiveness. I advise parents to consult their paediatrician, who will certainly follow the indications of the ministerial circular which, as mentioned, reiterated the extension of the offer of the flu vaccination to all children from 6 months to 6 years, with availability in addition to the formulation intramuscularly also with a nasal spray, from 24 months of age. The pediatrician will also have the possibility, based on clinical judgement, to propose vaccination to subsequent age groups as well. The flu vaccination is highly necessary for some, useful for everyone.”
Federica Zallocco, pediatrician at Salesi, focuses attention on how to protect children under 6 months. «With them the strategy is indirect, preventive, through the anti-flu vaccination of the pregnant woman, if the gestation occurs during a flu season – says Zallocco – this vaccination is strongly recommended because first of all it reduces the risk of pregnancy complications; furthermore, the passage of the antibodies contained in the vaccine through the placenta protects the newborn from contracting the infection and developing the disease with the related risks of complications. There are many studies that demonstrate the safety of the flu vaccine during pregnancy, in all trimesters. I would like to underline how the whooping cough vaccination is also of great importance during pregnancy. A highly contagious infection which, if contracted in the neonatal period or in the first months of life, can have very serious consequences, up to and including death. Although there is currently data on the absolute safety of this vaccine, unfortunately we are still seeing cases of newborns and infants with whooping cough with severe symptoms, born to mothers who did not receive the vaccine during pregnancy. The infection causes inflammation of the respiratory tract which can be very serious, especially in newborns, with apnoea, respiratory failure, pulmonary hypertension and cerebral haemorrhages which can lead to neurological damage. Epidemiological data have reported an increase in whooping cough even in young adults. To protect children, we thought of the “cocooning strategy” or “cocoon strategy”, that is, ensuring that those who take care of the newborn are vaccinated for whooping cough to guarantee indirect protection until the child completes the vaccination cycle. Immunity against whooping cough, whether natural or acquired through vaccination, is not lifelong. Therefore the vaccine must be repeated with every pregnancy, even if the woman has already been vaccinated or has had the infection. As with the flu shot, we also have a scientific awareness of high safety and effectiveness for this vaccine. It is therefore important to ask your gynecologist and pediatrician what the best strategies are to ensure adequate prevention for newborns.”
“Vaccination against influenza is a defense, in particular for people who are more fragile due to age or health reasons – reiterates the Councilor for Health Filippo Saltamartini – at the same time the anti-Covid 19 campaign is also launched with vaccines updated to the latest variants”. Adults can get vaccinated at general practitioners, Ast vaccination services with booking through Cup for the anti-Covid and anti-flu vaccine with access to vaccination clinics by appointment, and in pharmacies participating in the campaign. Children can instead contact paediatricians of free choice and at the Ast vaccination services in the same way as adults (not at pharmacies). Vaccination for guests and operators of residential facilities for the elderly will be organized by the districts with the collaboration of general practitioners. Healthcare workers from hospital facilities, fragile patients, hospitalized or followed by healthcare facilities for particular conditions (for example diabetics, kidney patients, etc.) will be taken care of at hospital vaccination points. The anti-flu vaccine is administered in a single dose, two doses a month apart for children under 9 years of age who have never been vaccinated, with an intramuscular injection in the arm, but for the little ones it is also available nasal spray. The anti-Covid campaign involves the administration of Pfizer mRNA vaccines updated to the latest variants also for new vaccinations: priority will be given to the categories for which vaccination is recommended. The booster includes a dose of vaccine valid for 12 months. The administration can take place at least six months after the last one dose or infection diagnosed according to the Ministry of Health circular of 27 September 2023.