“Bexsero”, The Meningitis B Vaccine – Being Parents

In fact, it is not easy to obtain the meningitis B vaccine because its distribution is very low. Parents sometimes have to wait several months in Spain to receive it.

Recently, however, the number of vaccines has increased slightly, as has pharmacy distribution in Spain. And that is why many parents think about having their children vaccinated.

In the rest of this article, we will tell you about this vaccine against meningitis B, the “Bexsero”. It will then be easier for you to decide whether or not to do this to your child.

Is the meningitis B vaccine important for the health of the child?

This is the question that all parents ask themselves. The decision to immunize the child or not is made by the parents, since it is an option.

Parents should make their decision with the information that is important about this vaccine. It only concerns them. The doctors themselves are cautious and do not tell you whether or not you should vaccinate your child. They give information and the parents decide for themselves.

It is very unlikely to get meningitis B, but it is not impossible. However, the disease is very serious, and it is for this reason that it is so difficult to decide.

What is surprising, however, is that it is not a mandatory vaccine. 65% of meningitis cases that occur in Spain are linked to the meningococcal bacteria B.

The Spanish Pediatric Association explains that in 2013, between 400 and 600 people were affected by this disease. Among all cases, it is estimated that one in ten people die from it. On the other hand, between 20% and 30% of cases can leave serious consequences such as deafness, mental retardation and seizures. The rest of those affected are doing well.

Everything you need to know about the meningitis B vaccine

At what age can you be vaccinated with Bexsero?

This meningitis B vaccine can be administered from the age of two months. It can also be done in older children who have not yet been vaccinated. It is recommended not to do this vaccine at the same time as other compulsory vaccines. In many hospitals, they are then performed from the age of three months.

Is this meningitis B vaccine safe?

The HCSP did not authorize its distribution until it was certain that the vaccine was safe.

In all of the studies that were done to verify that the vaccine was safe, it was shown that in 8,000 children of different ages, the only symptoms they had were pain and inflammation in the area where the injection has been made. On the other hand, they were sometimes a little more irritable than normal, or had a slight fever.

Is meningitis B dangerous?

It is a dangerous disease, especially in small children, when the immune system is not yet fully developed. He is then not able to stop the infection. In some cases, children can die.

Is there a treatment for this disease?

Yes there is one. There are antibiotics that treat the disease. But in order to be fully cured, it will depend on the age of the child and the time spent until the infection could be detected. When they are very small, the infection spreads very quickly and antibiotics are not helpful.

Is the vaccine effective?

Yes. In the UK, the number of cases of meningitis B in children under one year of age has been halved. There have been 37 cases in one year since the vaccination program began. While for previous years over the same period, there were an average of 74 cases.

How much does the vaccine cost?

It is true that the price of the vaccine is high. The expense is significant, and depending on the different countries, it can represent a very high sum. The price per dose of vaccine is € 106.15.

You now have all the information in hand. Each parent will have to decide whether or not to vaccinate their child. It is a choice that only parents want to make, given this important information. And remember, it is difficult for a child to get meningitis B, but if he does get it, it could be a very serious illness.