Federico Martinón-Torres

In recent weeks, the UK Health Safety Agency has detected an unusual increase in infections with Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria. At least 13 children under the age of 15 have died from this pathogen, which is responsible for mild infections but also for more serious conditions such as invasive disease. The Spanish Society of Paediatric Infectious Diseases has reported that there have been some deaths in Spain - the Community of Madrid has reported two deaths - and is analysing whether there has been an unusual increase in cases. 
 

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) was responsible for more than 100,000 deaths in children under the age of five worldwide in 2019, a study published in The Lancet estimates. The authors highlight the "urgent need" for vaccines.

The United States has already approved the vaccination of children aged 5-11 years against covid-19. In Europe, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will decide in the coming weeks on the use of the Comirnaty vaccine in this population. Here is what several Spanish paediatricians think about it.