The Minister of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, Esther Monzón, presented this Monday the modification of the Vaccination Calendar for all ages of life in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands, with the aim of "guaranteeing equity in access to vaccines", within a Global Strategy Against Transmissible Diseases.
Together with the Minister of Health, the General Director of Public Health, José Fernando Díaz-Flores, and the head of the Epidemiology and Prevention service, Amós García, have specified the vaccines that will be incorporated into the vaccination schedule for "all ages of life." This modification involves the incorporation, based on their disease burden, of new vaccines to the existing offer in the Canary Islands.
Esther Monzón recalled that the diseases subject to systematic application of vaccines are "those that the General Directorate of Public Health determines based on the different epidemiological circumstances and available resources." "The Canary Islands has always been a community at the forefront in updating its calendars, incorporating new vaccines with agility to guarantee access to the population in conditions of equity," said the Minister.
In this sense, the Programs and Vaccination Registry Presentation has carried out an extensive review of the vaccination calendar for all ages of life, in such a way that epidemiological data and vaccination coverage in Spain, vaccination schemes used in countries around us, and the most recent scientific evidence regarding the use of different vaccination guidelines have been evaluated, so it has determined the following considerations:
Changes in the vaccination calendar for life
1. Rotavirus. The administration of the rotavirus vaccine is extended to all newborns at 2 and 4 months of age or at 2, 4 and 6 depending on the vaccine preparation used. Until now, it was administered only to infants with a history of prematurity who have an increased risk of suffering complications from rotavirus disease, especially in the first 24 months of life.
The rotavirus vaccine is the most effective preventive measure to avoid cases of acute gastroenteritis and its possible complications, a pathology that is usually more frequent during the first two years of life.
This guideline will begin to be applied to minors who turn, or are two months old from September 1, 2024, and have not been previously vaccinated against Rotavirus.
2. Human papillomavirus (HPV). In recent years, following recommendations from the World Health Organization, numerous countries have changed to a vaccination strategy against HPV with a single dose before the start of sexual relations, in line with scientific evidence.
Following this example, and in accordance with what has already been advanced by the Programs and Vaccination Registry Presentation of the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System, in the Canary Islands this vaccine will be administered in a single dose at 12 years of age.
Women aged 12 to 17 who have not been previously vaccinated will also receive a single dose, as well as men born since January 1, 2011 who have not received the aforementioned vaccine.
People included in the risk groups to whom this vaccine is offered (MSM, people in prostitution, individuals living with HIV up to 26 years) and immunosuppressed and women with inflammatory bowel disease or who have received treatment for high-grade intraepithelial lesion in the cervix (CIN2+) without age limit will continue to be offered vaccination against HPV. The guideline in these cases will be one dose up to 17 years of age, and from 18 years of age two doses separated by 6 months, with the exception of people with immunosuppression who will maintain the guideline recommended in the technical sheet (three doses).
3. Pneumococcus. Taking into account the available epidemiological information on invasive pneumococcal disease in the Canary Islands and the recent authorization by the reference regulatory agency of the 20-serotype pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, this preparation is incorporated at 2, 4, 6 and 11 months of age.
This vaccine is effective for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumonia caused by the 20 serotypes.
This guideline will begin to be applied to girls and boys who turn, or are two months old after the publication of this new vaccination calendar and have not been previously vaccinated against S. Pneumoniae.
This same product will continue to be offered to people born since January 1, 1958 and to those included in the risk profiles established in the protocols issued by the General Directorate of Public Health of the Canary Islands Health Service (DGSP).
4. Meningococcus. The new calendar replaces the vaccine against meningococcus C with another that protects against serotypes A, C, W, Y. This preparation extends the direct protection of infants against invasive meningococcal disease. Meningococcus is a bacterium that produces serious infections, especially meningitis and sepsis (generalized infection) that can cause significant sequelae and even death of the affected person. Young children especially and also adolescents are the most exposed to meningococcal disease. Sometimes the progression of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is so rapid that vaccination is the best weapon for prevention.
This guideline will begin to be applied to girls and boys who turn, or are four months old after the publication of this new vaccination calendar and have not been previously vaccinated against invasive disease by serotypes A, C, W and Y. It is therefore administered at 4 and 12 months and the booster dose is maintained at 12 years.
At the same time, the need to vaccinate those born in the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 is insisted; this rescue will be offered until the 2007 cohort reaches the age of 18.
