“Parents appreciate co-administration proposal in Calabria”

2023-05-03 20:13:00

“For almost a year, following the issuance of a new vaccination calendar, in the Calabria Region we have established that the first vaccines of infancy, from the third to the fifth month, can be co-administered. The children carry out 3 by injection (hexavalent and anti-pneumococcal vaccine on the right leg and anti-meningitis B in the left) and one oral for Rotavirus”. She said it Sandro Giuffrida, director of the Prevention Department of the Reggio Calabri Provincial Health Authoritya, on the sidelines of the 56th national congress of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health (Siti) in Rome.

“Contrary to what one might have imagined – explains Giuffrida – this modality was welcomed with great favor by the parents because they realized that the possibility of the onset of fever (typical reaction after vaccination, ed) was limited to 2 times , instead of 4. In reality, from our first evidence – he continues – there is no higher than normal incidence of fever. Even those who presented themselves for the first dose and were not yet convinced of the possibility of co-administration, on the basis of the experience of the other parents, at the second appointment he asked to do it, considering it as an element of less stress for the child”. The experience of the Calabria Region can be a driving force. “In Italy, at this moment – observes Giuffrida – we have high coverage for compulsory vaccination, such as the hexavalent, a little less for the recommended ones: those for meningitis B, for example, or for Rotavirus”.

“With the co-administration – they underline – 2 results are obtained. One is linked to the effect of the compulsory measures which carry over the recommended ones, but above all the possibility of protecting children is achieved very early because – underlines the expert – instead of spacing them over time, with only 2 sessions, all the vaccinations and, for some of these, such as meningitis for example, it is a very important thing given the greater incidence of this disease between 4 and 8 months. Vaccinating children quickly is a very important advantage because it allows them to avoid this serious disease. However, a training process is needed. “We have seen almost more resistance from the operators than from the parents – reflects Giuffrida – If the operators are convinced, the parents accept the co-administration and it can even be extended to the whole national territory. We are not experiencing anything. This method of vaccination – she concludes – has been tested for 5 years on over one million children in Great Britain with enormous success ”.