August 7, 2021 | 09:12

The meningococcal C vaccine will be available to children 11 years of age or younger

Jill Leonardi / Press MG
The meningococcal C vaccine is currently available in primary health care units in municipalities

Until December 2021, children and adolescents under ten years, 11 months and 29 days of age who have not yet been vaccinated may receive the meningococcal C (conjugate) vaccine. Due to the low vaccination coverage, the Ministry of Health recommended immunization with the corresponding dose, taking into account the importance of vaccination in this group, the state government informed.

The age-group expansion strategy aims to increase protection against meningitis, prevent outbreaks of the disease by serogroup C, hospitalization, sequelae, rehabilitation therapies, and mortality, especially with the return of in-person classes.”

As a form of prevention, the SUS already provides, in the basic immunization schedule, vaccines that protect against the various causative agents of the disease. The meningococcal C vaccine is currently available in primary health care units in municipalities.

Meningitis, a disease characterized by an inflammatory process of the membranes (meninges) affecting the brain and spinal cord, can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.

Although the age group most susceptible to the disease is children under the age of one year, adolescents and young adults are mainly responsible for maintaining the blood circulation of the disease. “This is why it is so important to ensure high vaccination coverage for both the child and adolescent population,” Josian stresses.

vaccination schedule

The immunization coordinator also explains that the meningococcal C (conjugate) vaccine is already recommended for children under 5 years of age, given in two doses, at 3 and 5 months of age, and a booster dose, preferably, at 12 months of age.

In addition, for children who for some reason have lost the opportunity to receive the vaccine at the specified ages, a dose of up to 4 years, 11 months and 29 days of age is recommended, and it is also used in health centers Reference for Special Immunobiology (CRIE) according to the CRIE Guide ‘, he advises.

covers

In 2020, the coverage of meningococcal C (conjugated) vaccination was 86.43% in children under one year of age and 85.79% in children under one year of age. In 2021, through April, the recorded coverage was 81.32% for children under one year of age and 76.21% for children up to one year of age.

The target indicated by the Ministry of Health is vaccination coverage of 95% in the population indicated to receive the immunizing agent.