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Primary, specialty and public health professionals attend these annual sessions to learn about updates being made to vaccination processes.

The Director General of Public Health of the Canary Islands Health Service (SCS) José Díaz-Flores, the Manager of Primary Health Care of the Tenerife Health District Jesús Delgado and the Directors of Nursing of the University Hospital of the Canary Islands and the University Hospital. Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, Oscar Mora and Mercedes García, respectively, took part this morning in the opening of the III Meeting of Responsible Persons in the Field of Immunization and Vaccination in the Canary Islands. Around 150 specialist visits took place over several days, bringing together representatives from primary care, hospitals and public health to demonstrate the importance of vaccines in controlling preventable diseases.

In his speech, Diaz-Flores emphasized the importance of this annual meeting, where experts learn about updates being implemented in vaccination processes.

“At the GKS, we constantly analyze epidemiological indicators in order to remain at the forefront in updating vaccination calendars. Without going further, this year we expanded it with new vaccinations for all ages,” recalled the Director General of the Ministry of Health.

For his part, Jesús Delgado thanked the professionals for their participation in organizing these sessions, which “have as their ultimate goal the improvement of the health services received by the entire population, in this case through vaccines, one of the more effective tools.” in disease prevention.

Throughout the meeting, participants discussed, among other things, the optimization of the official vaccination schedule, proposals to improve this area of ​​health or the vaccination of migrants arriving on the El Hierro coast. There were also interviews with eminent professionals and seminars conducted by various specialists.

Changes in the vaccination schedule

This year, the Ministry of Health approved a change in the vaccination schedule for all ages of life in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands in order to guarantee equal access to vaccines as part of the Global Strategy for the Fight against Infectious Diseases. The changes will affect:

1. Rotavirus. The introduction of the rotavirus vaccine applies to all newborns at the ages of 2 and 4 months or at 2, 4 and 6 years, depending on the vaccine preparation used. Until now, it has been prescribed only to infants with a history of prematurity, who are at increased risk of complications from rotavirus infection, 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 predominantly more common in the first two years of life.

This guidance will begin to apply to minors who are two months old on September 1, 2024 and who have not previously been vaccinated against rotavirus.

2. Human papillomavirus (HPV). In recent years, following the recommendations of the World Health Organization, many countries have switched to a single-dose HPV vaccination strategy before sexual intercourse, which is in line with scientific evidence.

Following this example and in accordance with what has already been announced in the Presentation on the Vaccination Programs and Registry of the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System, in the Canary Islands this vaccine will be administered once at the age of 12 years.

A single dose will also be given to women aged 12 to 17 years who have not previously been vaccinated, as well as men born since January 1, 2011, who have not been vaccinated with the above-mentioned vaccine.

People in high-risk groups who are offered this vaccine (MSM, people in prostitution, people living with HIV under 26 years of age), as well as immunocompromised people and women with inflammatory bowel disease or who have received treatment for a high-grade intraepithelial infection. cervical lesions (CIN2+) without age restrictions, HPV vaccination will continue to be offered. The regimen in these cases will be one dose up to 17 years of age, and from 18 years of age – two doses with an interval of 6 months, with the exception of immunocompromised people who will follow the regimen recommended in the technical data sheet (three doses). dose).

3. Pneumococcus. Taking into account the epidemiological information available on invasive pneumococcal disease in the Canary Islands and the recent reference regulatory authority approval for pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 20 serotypes, we are proceeding to include this product at 2, 4, 6 and 11 months of age.

This vaccine is effective in preventing invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumonia caused by all 20 serotypes.

This guidance will begin to apply to girls and boys who are two months old after the publication of the new vaccination schedule and who have not previously been vaccinated against S. pneumoniae.

The same product will continue to be offered to people born after January 1, 1958, as well as to those included in the risk profiles established in the protocols issued by the Directorate General of Public Health of the Canary Islands Health Service (DGSP).

4. Meningococcus. The new schedule replaces meningococcal C vaccine with one that protects against serotypes A, C, W and Y. This vaccine extends direct protection for infants against invasive meningococcal disease. Meningococcus is a bacterium that causes serious infections, especially meningitis and sepsis (generalized infection), which can cause serious consequences and even death. Young children and adolescents are especially susceptible to meningococcal infection. Sometimes the progression of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is so rapid that vaccination is the best means of prevention.

This guidance will begin to apply to girls and boys aged four months and older following the publication of the new vaccination schedule who have not previously been vaccinated against invasive disease serotypes A, C, W and Y. It is therefore given at 4 and 12 months and the booster dose is maintained in 12 years.

At the same time, they insist on the need to vaccinate people born in 2004, 2005 and 2006 with this drug; This bailout will be offered until the 2007 cohort reaches 18 years of age.