Madrid purchases 133,500 pneumococcal vaccines to protect the elderly

Community of Madrid to be acquired this year 133,500 doses of pneumococcal vaccine Protect older adults from serious infections.A government committee this week authorized funding for the purchase Invest €6,054,048. The initiative will allow people over 60 to be immunized based on recommendations from the General Directorate of Public Health, which also includes them in the vaccination program for adults with risk factors. Vaccination with the so-called 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine will be carried out at health centers and vaccination sites authorized by the autonomous region government. This is an operation that the autonomous region government has been carrying out since 2005.

This measure responds to advice from health authorities in countries around us, The target population will be protected against 20 pneumococcal serotypes, which are the most common in our region and responsible for 70% of invasive diseases. Pneumococcal bacteria have a high lethality rate and an increase has been seen in recent years. If an underlying disease is present, its evolution is usually more severe the older you are. Other associated pathologies include otitis media and sinusitis as well as serious illnesses such as pneumonia, sepsis, or meningitis.