The ‘conselleria’ sends a circular to educational centers so that they collaborate in the immunization of people up to 18 years of age, since until now the tetravalent meningococcal vaccine was only given in 6th grade of primary and 2nd of ESO
The Ministry of Health has made an appeal to the young people between 17 and 19 years old (those born between 2002 and 2005) to be vaccinated against meningitis. The department has sent a informative circular to the institutes and centers of post-compulsory studies, to which EL PERIÓDICO has had access and how ‘Betevé’ has advanced.
Salut calls on these young people to ask appointment to primary care centers (CAP) to get immunized. In Barcelona, the CAPs vaccinate against meningitis twice a week at a fixed time and you can go without an appointment, according to sources in this newspaper.
The vaccine that is being given is the tetravalent antimeningococcal. Meningococcus is a bacterium that causes potentially serious diseases in humans, such as meningitis and septicemia. Despite all the therapeutic advances, these diseases frequently cause death, or permanent physical and neurological sequelae, warns the Spanish Society of Outpatient Pediatrics and Primary Care.
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In 2020, by state agreement, the quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine (MACWY vaccine) became included in the vaccination schedule. This vaccine, which replaced the conjugate vaccine against meningococcus C (MC vaccine), has been given in Catalonia in two cohorts: in sixth graders and in those of second of THAT. “Additionally, it was specified the need to recruit and vaccinate adolescents and young people up to 18 years”, as stated in the circular sent by Salut to the centres.
Recruitment up to the age of 18 (those born after 2002) should have been done in the years 2020 and 2021, but the pandemic “difficulted development,” the circular states. Now, the ‘ministry’ has chosen to make a “active repechage” of people up to 18 years of age” through schools, directed the cohorts born between 2002 and 2005, in addition to the CAP where it was already done until now. “The goal is to get the maximum coverage at these ages,” says Salut.