Castilla y León will launch its new official calendar of systematic vaccinations this 2023, one of the most complete in all of Spain which will include, among other improvements, free vaccination against rotavirus for all children born on or after this Sunday, January 1 , and against human papilloma virus (HPV) for all children who turn 12 years old. In this way, the Community brings forward by another two years the date set by the Inter-Territorial Council of the National Health System (CISNS), at the end of 2024. These improvements, which are included in yesterday’s Official Gazette of Castilla y León (BOCyL), together with other advances, will result in a rebound of the public health budget by nine percent, to reach 34 million euros.
Until now, the rotavirus vaccine was only free for babies born prematurely before 32 weeks. The scheduled introduction of this systematic vaccine in newborns will mean savings for families of between 187 and 208.5 euros, which is the current cost of the two brands on the market. It is no coincidence that many families acquired it when it was recommended by paediatricians, to the point that in recent years coverage has reached 70 percent. Two or three doses will be given, depending on the type of vaccine, in the first months of life.
As for the HPV vaccination, it is open to males who turn 12 from 2023, i.e. to those born after January 1, 2011. The schedule will be the same for both sexes, two doses separated by a minimum interval of six months. Women born after 1994 who have not previously been vaccinated can also receive the regimen appropriate to their age. In minors, the Interterritorial Council has decided to introduce the flu vaccine at national level for children aged 6 to 59 months, something that is already happening in the Community, where, moreover, although only the injectable vaccine is authorized for children under two , from that age they will be able to receive the more comfortable and effective attenuated intranasal vaccine.
A provision which will cover the inactivated injectable vaccine in boys and girls aged 6 to 23 months, and the intranasal attenuated vaccine in boys and girls aged 24 to 59 months, ie two, three and four years. In healthy children, a single dose will be given.
Finally, as regards the vaccination against meningitis B, Castilla y León will continue to administer it free of charge, which began in 2019, despite the deadline being before the end of 2024. Furthermore, it will start inoculating at two and four months of life, instead of at three and five months as up to now.
Covid
Meanwhile, to avoid injecting two complementary pneumococcal vaccines, as had been done, the Ministry of Health will start injecting only a new version, which has recently been approved and guarantees greater protection for the elderly. Other vaccines that are being incorporated are that of herpes zoster, aimed at all people aged 65 and over, another step forward by applying criteria in agreement with other neighboring countries and scientific recommendations.
The vaccination calendar also includes vaccination against covid-19, which has demonstrated its effectiveness in partially preventing the transmission of the disease, but above all in preventing its most serious consequences: symptomatic infection, hospitalization, admission to intensive care and death. For this reason it is particularly suitable for people with risk factors for severe covid-19 and for the entire population aged 60 and over, as well as for those who may be included in the vaccination strategy at any time depending on the evolution of the epidemiological situation and public health recommendations.
