The Government received the second shipment of Nirsevimab, a medicine to immunize against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which makes Chile the first country in Latin America to acquire the monoclonal antibody, part of the Winter 2024 Campaign. This medicine, which It will benefit infants and newborns up to 6 months of age, it will reduce illness and hospitalization due to syncytial virus and lower respiratory tract disease due to RSV.
President Gabriel Boric stated that the use of this medicine “will not only save lives, but will also help us reduce the pressure on the Health system, which last year we saw in a very critical situation.”
The Minister of Health, Ximena Aguilera, for her part, commented that “last year we all suffered the largest outbreak of the syncytial virus in history, an outbreak that had an unexpectedly early start and an upward trend that was very abrupt.” Thanks to Nirsevimab, “what is published is that at least 70% of hospitalizations due to syncytial virus are reduced,” added the Health authority.
The Head of State added that “these doses will be available from April in all maternity hospitals in Chile so that boys and girls receive them immediately after birth and will also be available to families in vaccination centers for that parents of children under 6 months, that is, who were born after October 1, 2023, can count on this medicine for their sons and daughters and thus avoid a serious illness that can cause chronic respiratory problems”, also considering that RSV is a leading cause of acute respiratory tract infection in infants and young children worldwide.
The more than 100 thousand doses of Nirsevimab that the President received are added to the 5,050 doses that Minister Aguilera received this Tuesday. In addition, another 60 thousand doses will soon arrive in our country.
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