The Spanish Association of Pediatrics (AEP) has been requesting that new vaccines against the different strains of meningitis be included in the official calendar, so that all children can access them and be protected.
Since the beginning of 2019 some autonomous communities are taking the step and incorporating the tetravalent against meningococci A, C, W and Y (Castilla y León, Canary Islands and the city of Melilla) and also the one that protects against type B, marketed under the name of Bexsero (Canary Islands and Castilla y León).
Now Andalusia joins, claiming, according to its Health Advisor, that "It is important to introduce tetravalent because we are seeing a lot of Meningitis now that it is not (of the type) C", which currently covers the official vaccination calendar throughout Spain. As for Bexsero, he explained that his financing is scheduled next year.
In Babies and moreMeningitis: types, forms of infection and all vaccines to prevent diseaseThe tetravalent vaccine against meningococci A, C, W and Y
The vaccine that Andalusia wants to incorporate as soon as possible immunizes against meningococci A, C, W and Y, strains that appear to be getting stronger.
A few days ago I attended a seminar organized by the Spanish Association of Pediatrics (AEP) and Pfizer where they talked about the different types of meningitis, the ways of contagion and the new strategies of prevention of meningococcal disease.
If something was clear to me about the appointment, it was the need to protect children and adolescents against meningococci A, C, W and Y with a single tetravalent vaccine, as experts explained "The disease can appear at any age, are those under four years and adolescents aged 15 to 18, the most affected by the bacteria. The worst prognosis is those under one year."
In Babies and more, they recommend vaccinating adolescents against meningococcal meningitis But also, luckily, there are vaccines that prevent strains that are now attacking with more virulence, so we can immunize our children.
In fact, the AEP also recommends including it in the official calendar instead of the current MenC (also at 12 months and 12 years).
This is already done in Castilla y León, the community with the most complete funded vaccine calendar in all of Spain. Precisely, another speaker was Sonia Tamames, head of Epidemiology at the General Directorate of Public Health of the Junta de Castilla y León who said that:
"All the Communities will end up financing this vaccine due to the increase in cases of meningitis caused by the new strains and admitted that it is true that the incorporation of the vaccines has accelerated due to the proximity of the elections, but has only been advanced, since it is a necessary measure that was to be carried out safely. "
And what about the meningitis B vaccine?
Marketed under the name of Bexsero, it is only included in the official calendars of Castilla y León and the Canary Islands, and it seems that it will be also in Andalusia next year, although it is not safe.
In Babies and more If pediatricians recommend it, why is the Bexsero vaccine against meningitis B not funded in Spain?For the moment, most families who want to protect their children must finance it themselves, buying them at pharmacies. And it seems that it is being done, as explained by the head of the Junta de Castilla y León at the seminar on meningitis:
"It is difficult to quantify the evolution of the disease caused by serogroup B, since families are paying for this vaccine out of pocket (three doses of 106 euros)."
Bet because "All communities end up financing it, since both this and the tetravalent have already shown their effectiveness in other countries, in outbreaks in the Netherlands or the United Kingdom."
At the moment, it seems that Andalusia will possibly include it in its calendar next year, as explained by its Minister of Health and Families, Jesús Aguirre, although he also clarified that:
"Meningitis B is not so urgent to cover it and it has a much higher cost and you have to adapt it little by little."
And I also trust that this is so, regardless of whether it is for electoral reasons, because health comes first. What I want as a mother is that our children do not have to suffer the devastating effects of a disease as serious as meningitis, which can leave them with very serious consequences and even cause death, something that can be avoided with a simple vaccine.
What do the rest of the autonomous communities expect to finance vaccines against serogroups B, A, C, W and Y? Not all families can bear their prices even if they want to vaccinate their children. Pay attention to the recommendations of the AEP, supporting Andalusia.
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