The professor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the Rey Juan Carlos University of Madrid, Ángel Gil, analyzes in this article the importance of vaccination not only in childhood, but throughout life.
Ángel Gil, Doctor of Medicine and Surgery from the Autonomous University of Madrid, is a corresponding academic of the Royal National Academy of Medicine, has participated in numerous research projects, both as principal investigator and collaborator.
Among other tasks, he directs several research chairs such as Vaccine Research, Healthcare Innovation and Management, and Humanitarian Medicine. In this article he examines the importance of vaccination, which does not only affect children.
Vaccination is not just for children.
Ángel Gil, Professor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
Spain has high childhood vaccination coverage and currently has one of the most complete vaccination calendars in Europe thanks to the incorporation this year of three vaccines aimed at children for the prevention of meningitis B, the papillomavirus (HPV) and the flu.
The 2023 vaccine calendar thus includes claims that we professionals have been claiming for a long time but, despite this, there is still room for improvement.
In the case of childhood vaccination, it continues to be essential to protect the youngest children from meningitis, a serious infection that can cause significant sequelae and even the death of the affected person.
It is essential, above all, to protect against serogroups W and Y, given the increasing incidence of these serogroups in Spain.
Young children and adolescents are the most exposed to meningococcal disease, but the vaccine that protects against these serogroups is only recommended, according to the Interterritorial Council’s vaccination calendar, today for children 12 years of age, so that it would be convenient to introduce this MenACWY vaccine into the calendar at 12 months of age, as some CCAAs are already doing.
Nor can we forget that we continue to have the challenge of protecting young children from SARS-CoV-2, especially those who are in situations of risk or vulnerability.
And shortly, measures will be incorporated for the prevention of bronchiolitis produced by the Respiratory Syncytial Virus, which will have a great impact on a disease with high morbidity and mortality in the child population.
The professor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the Rey Juan Carlos University, Ángel Gil/Courtesy photo
Vaccination not only of children, a lifelong process
On the other hand, it is necessary to remember that vaccination is not only a matter for children, but is a process that must be present throughout life (in childhood, adolescence, adulthood, old age or pregnancy). and that it must be understood as a healthy lifestyle for citizens of any age, especially for those who are older and/or who suffer from a chronic pathology.
As we get older, our immune systems also age, so we are more susceptible to infectious diseases..
For this reason, and also because after the age of 65 there is a greater probability that a person will have other chronic diseases, immunization against pathologies that can have a high impact on our health, such as pneumococcal disease, is important.
In the most serious cases, pneumonia can lead to the death of a patient and in other cases it generates hospitalizations and reduces the quality of life of those who suffer an episode.
In diabetic patients, for example, the risk of admission for pneumonia is multiplied by 39 compared to another person without health problems.
pneumococcal vaccines
Fortunately, for years we have had vaccines that prevent pneumococcal infection in the elderly and people with comorbidities.
Likewise, pneumococcal vaccines have recently been approved that protect against a greater number of pneumococcal serotypes, so we have to offer the population the best possible vaccination strategy, which in this case involves the use of these new vaccines.
Apart from pneumococcal vaccination, adults and people with chronic pathologies should also take into account the recommendations of the common vaccination schedule throughout life, which recommends vaccination for the prevention of influenza from 65 years of age and herpes zoster for those who turn 65.
Vaccination, protect pregnancy
Lastly, and if we talk about vaccination throughout life, we cannot forget the need to protect pregnant women through vaccination.
In this way, we not only prevent maternal morbidity and mortality and reduce intrauterine and fetal infections, but we also confer passive immunity to the newborn and the infant.
The recommended vaccines during pregnancy are the flu, tetanus-pertussis (Tdpa) and the COVID-19.
But in addition, there are maternal vaccines that are yet to come, such as the vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which, when available, will allow professionals to have a new strategy for the protection of infants immediately, from birth to six months. of age, which is when there is the greatest risk of contracting RSV in a serious way and suffering complications.
Similarly, RSV also has a high impact on the population over 60 years of age, so the availability of vaccines that help combat this virus in older adults is also good news.
Every year vaccines save between 2 and 3 million lives. The return of the holidays and the start of the school year is a good time to check that all family members have their vaccinations up to date. Consult your health professional and remember that vaccination is one of the best ways to prevent diseases.
Beginning of vaccination of children between the ages of 9 and 11 years. EFE/Sergio G. Cañizares POOL
2023-08-14 07:04:23
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