Health will vaccinate Rioja babies against rotavirus and meningococci ACWY

Starting this Monday, July 1, the Government of La Rioja incorporates changes in the Lifelong Immunization Program, with the inclusion of vaccination against rotavirus, an infection that causes severe gastroenteritis in babies. at 2 and 4 months of age and the extension of protection against meningococcus ACWY at 4 months of age, as explained by the Minister of Health and Social Policies, María Martín, who was accompanied in her appearance by the general director of Public Health, Consumption and Care, Eva Martínez Ochoa.

Specifically, the Minister of Health has indicated that the community has acquired 27,500 doses to deal with the new developments planned in the new vaccination campaign, with an outlay of 1.6 million euros.

In the specific case of rotavirus, to protect babies against acute gastroenteritis, 5,000 doses have been purchased for a value of 249,600 euros. Immunization will be administered free of charge to minors at 2 and 4 months of age. In addition, 8,000 doses have been purchased, worth 181,958.40 euros, for the ACWY meningococcus vaccine, whose administration is extended to 4-month-old babies, in addition to being maintained at 12 months and children under 12 years of age.

7,500 doses of the vaccine against pneumococcus serotype 15 have also been purchased, at a cost of 309,192 euros. And finally, 875,420 euros have been allocated for the purchase of more than 7,000 doses of the herpes zoster vaccine, intended especially for people over 80 years of age.

As highlighted by María Martín, Salud maintains the new developments included last year in the vaccination calendar; that is, immunization against RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) to protect children under 6 months of age against bronchiolitis during the time of virus circulation; and pediatric vaccination against influenza in children between 6 and 59 months (along with immunization against the seasonal virus of the population over 60 years of age, in addition to risk groups and health professionals, among others) .

In the case of older people, vaccination against herpes zoster, already included in the last campaign, is also maintained, the dose of which will be administered to the patient in the year in which he or she turns 65 and, in those not immunized until now, when he or she turns 80. Included since March of last year, it began with those born in 1958 and, in addition, those who turned 80 (cohort of 1943), a cadence that will continue in this year and in the following ones successively, so that in 2024 those born in 1944, those who turn 80, and those from 1959, those who celebrate their 65th birthday, will be cited.

“This calendar is a fundamental tool to guarantee the protection of citizens who, from childhood to adulthood, must receive these vaccines to contribute to the control of certain infectious diseases for whose prevention there are vaccines, which can be administered safely and effectively,” stressed the minister, who emphasized that “the implementation of these vaccination programs has led to effective control of communicable diseases in childhood and among the most vulnerable people.”

After stating that “with the new program, progress is being made in the quality and equity of the vaccines supplied in La Rioja”, she congratulated herself because “it is followed by a high percentage of people, reaching vaccination coverage of more than 95% in many of the established guidelines, especially in pediatric age.” In this sense, after recalling that La Rioja incorporated the administration of nirsevimab, a monoclonal antibody, into its immunization schedule last year, María Martín detailed the good results of immunization, with an average coverage of 92.5% in newborns during the season and 92% in those born before the start of the season. “The number of babies admitted for bronchiolitis was 35 in November 2022 and 40 in December, but in the same months last year there were only 12 and 7 minors hospitalized,” the councilor specified.

Protection against 17 diseases

La Rioja will also maintain immunization against herpes zoster in the new vaccination schedule, included since March of last year for the general population in the 65-year-old cohort. It began with those born in 1958 and, in addition, those who turned 80 years old (1943 cohort), a cadence that will continue in this year and the following ones successively, with whom in 2024 they will be mentioned those born in 1944, those who turn 80, and those born in 1959, those who celebrate their 65th birthday.

«This calendar is very complete because it protects against 17 viral and bacterial diseases and also covers all stages of life, without forgetting people who are in risk groups, who follow specific guidelines and strategies», highlighted Eva Martínez Ochoa, Director General of Public Health, who has emphasized the main new features: the rotavirus vaccine, which «is administered orally, there is no need to inject them» from this year at two and four months of age to prevent complications from acute gastroenteritis in babies; and the extension of the vaccine against all meningococci, ACWY, which will be administered at four months of age, in addition to maintaining the doses that were already injected to children of twelve months and to children in sixth grade of Primary, those of 11-12 years, a decision that has been justified «by the increase that has been detected, especially in serogroups W and Y».