The Ministry of Health and Consumption of the Board of Andalusia joins World Meningitis Daywhich is celebrated this April 24, with a vaccination strategy balance In the Diana population. According to data from the Strategic Vaccination Plan of Andalusia, vaccination coverage against meningitis exceeds 90% in all cohorts, reaching in infants (meningococcus b) and babies of 4 and 12 months (Meningocococococcus ACWY) More than 98%.
In the case of adolescents from 13 to 18 years, the average coverage of the cohorts is just at 90%, that is, 591,752 of 657,722 adolescents residing in Andalusia have been vaccinated.
According to the Occupational Health and Health Service of the Ministry of Health and Consumer Malaga (18) and Seville (10) the provinces with more cases. In addition, so far this year, there have already been a total of 25 cases. Regarding the rest of the provinces, seven cases have been diagnosed in Cádiz and Córdoba, six in Almería and Granada and Dos in Huelva and Jaén.
During the 2020s and 2021, the security measures established for the control of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a practice disappearance of the cases of meningitis. Subsequently, a Successive increase in cases ranging from 31 of 2022, at 46 in 2023 and 58 last year. Experts already warned in previous years that, with the progressive relaxation of these measures, there would be a progressive increase in cases. Hence the importance of continuing to reinforce the vaccination coverage of the population and sensitizing the population of the importance of the vaccine as the main protection measure.
Vaccination campaigns against meningitis
Since 2020, Andalusia has progressively raised a strategy to avoid all cases of bacterial meningitis in childhood and adolescence, with the use of different vaccines in the ages of greatest impact.
Since December 1, 2021, Andalusia includes in the infant vaccination calendar, free of charge, the meningococcal B vaccine (Bexsero), For all children born since October 1, 2021. The pattern consists of 3 doses, at 2, 4 and 15 months. Previously, up to 60% of Andalusian families made the huge effort to buy this vaccine privately.
Since January 2020, the vaccine that prevents meningitis by 4 types of meningococcus, A, C, W E Y, is included in the free vaccination calendar of Andalusia in two crucial moments: at 12 months and in adolescence. In addition, as of February 2024, he began to vaccinate ACWY MENINGOCOCO Also at 4 months, being of the first communities to carry it out.
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