Although at the end of July the Minister of Health announced that all children under 14 years of age would be vaccines against influenza A, yesterday new data have been released on the groups that will receive immunization against the H1N1 virus. They announced that at the moment Only children over six months of age who have a previous chronic disease will be vaccinated.
As parents, we are all concerned about the measures taken with regard to children and influenza A. Children under 14 are considered a risk group, as well as pregnant women, who will receive the vaccine.
However, the Ministry has changed its criteria following the advice of the European authorities, who believe that there are not enough safety guarantees regarding the new vaccine to systematically vaccinate all children. Something that on the one hand seems prudent, until you see how the pandemic evolves in the period of greatest incidence, autumn and winter.
On the other hand, children transmit the virus very easily. Permanent contact with other children in schools and kindergartens makes them a major focus of disease extension, which might be wise to consider immunization.
Children with chronic diseases will be vaccinated such as cardiovascular ailments (excluding hypertension), respiratory diseases (broncho-pulmonary dysplasia, cystic fibrosis and persistent moderate-severe asthma), morbid obesity, type I and II diabetes mellitus with drug treatment and cancer patients treated with chemotherapy.
Also those who suffer from moderate-severe renal insufficiency, hemoglobinopathies and moderate-severe anemias, asplenia (absence of spleen), advanced chronic liver disease, severe neuromuscular diseases and patients with immunosuppression or under 18 years of age who receive prolonged treatment with acetylsalicylic acid.
I get the feeling that we are stepping on unknown terrain in this of the flu A and as a mother I worry that she changes her mind so lightly about whether or not children will be vaccinated.
