The Minister of Health, Esther Monzón, announced in Parliament that immunisation against Respiratory Syncytial Virus will extend to institutionalised individuals over 70 and other at-risk groups from October.
The Canary Islands Health Service will begin administering the vaccine against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) to the most vulnerable adult population starting next month, coinciding with the onset of the season of highest virus circulation. This was announced on Thursday by the Minister of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, Esther Monzón, during her appearance before the Health Commission of the regional Parliament.
The measure, already included in the new Immunisation Calendar for all ages in the Canary Islands, published in the Official Bulletin of the Canary Islands, initially targets individuals over 70 years old residing in social and health centres, as well as those institutionalised at a younger age suffering from severe respiratory or cardiac diseases. Non-institutionalised patients with haematological cancers and recipients of lung or haematopoietic progenitor transplants will also be able to receive immunisation through hospital services.
The decision to extend protection to the adult group is based on the excellent results obtained from childhood immunisation. According to data provided by the minister, during the 2024-2025 season, administering the monoclonal antibody nirsevimab to over 10,000 children led to a 78.6 percent reduction in RSV hospitalisations in children under one year old, as well as an 86.67 percent decrease in admissions to intensive care units, compared to the 2022 season, prior to the implementation of this strategy.
These figures place the Canary Islands 7.6 percentage points above the national average, as preliminary analyses from the Ministry of Health estimate a 71 percent decrease across the country, with an effectiveness close to 80 percent during the first year of implementation. For Monzón, this scientific evidence supports the extension of protection to adults at higher risk of developing severe complications.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus is one of the main causes of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants under one year old, but it also causes severe respiratory illness in older adults, especially those with pre-existing conditions or who are institutionalised. The incorporation of nirsevimab has represented a paradigm shift in the prevention of this infection, and the Canary Islands has been one of the pioneering communities in its application.
The vaccination campaign for adults will take place between October and March, coinciding with the period of maximum RSV circulation. The General Directorate of Public Health will be responsible for acquiring and distributing the necessary doses to health centres and hospitals, both public and private, throughout the archipelago.
With this expansion, the Canary Islands reinforces its prevention strategy throughout all stages of life, protecting the most vulnerable groups against a virus that annually causes significant pressure on Primary Care, Emergency Services, and hospitals. The minister emphasised that the measure is based on scientific evidence and the results obtained, and expressed confidence that it will significantly reduce hospitalisations and severe illness in the at-risk adult population.
You may also like
