The Community of Madrid has acquired 237,500 doses of vaccine against pneumococcus effective against fifteen serotypes of the bacteria, and will be administered to children under one year of age, in their first 2, 4 and 11 months of life.
The Ministry of Health, through the General Directorate of Public Health, has opted for this new preparation, which replaces the thirteenth version (13 variants), thus further expanding the protection of minors and after carrying out an analysis of the Epidemiological surveillance data on the diseases caused by pneumococcus in children.
It is estimated that during 2024 and 2025 they will be 50,000 beneficiaries with this acquisition, which has involved a global investment of 10,281,376 euros.
The use of these three doses per baby is the most effective way to prevent different pathologies caused by this pathogen, such as, for example, pneumonia or otitis, which can be serious and complicate causing visits to pediatricians, emergency services and hospitalizations. For Javier Alvarez, pediatrician and member of the vaccine advisory committee of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, “This is great news since this vaccine protects against pneumococcus meningitis, which in the past was terrible with very important consequences if not death, and pneumonia that continues to occur but in much smaller quantities. The burden of the disease has decreased in a very notable way.”
People included in the program will also receive immunization in the Community of Madrid. risk groups of any age and those who meet 60 yearsor more who have not had it before. This prophylactic measure, included in the regional vaccination schedule, prevents against 70% of infections of this type that are detected in this group.
