The rotavirus is highly contagious and leads to diarrhoea, vomiting and sometimes dehydration and organ failure. Almost all children up to the age of 5 become infected with it. There is a vaccine available against this, but because former State Secretary Paul Blokhuis of Public Health took the decision to include it in the National Immunization Programme. wanted to leave it to his successorchildren cannot yet receive this vaccine.
Health Council
This year it no longer makes sense, but hopefully the vaccines will be available for all children next year. If it is up to the Health Council, this will in any case happen as soon as possible. And the Ministry of Health says the advice from the council to follow as closely as possible. The biggest problem is money. Vaccinating all children is not cost-effective, so the price of the vaccines has yet to come down.
Rotavirus
On average, about 3,600 children are hospitalized each year as a result. By making the rota vaccine available to all young children, 1,930 to 3,389 hospitalizations per year could be prevented. It is not often that children die from the effects of the virus, but it does happen. Every year, five to seven children in the Netherlands die from rota.
Baby’s
Belgium, Germany and the United States vaccinate all babies with the rota vaccine and in those countries the risk of severe diarrhea is significantly reduced. Vaccination of all babies is expected to reduce hospital admissions by up to 85 percent.
Children who are born prematurely, have a low birth weight, or have congenital defects are at extra risk for rotavirus and are already given the drink. The vaccination is also available at your own expense (approximately 70 euros), through your GP or GGD. A child who has been vaccinated is protected for at least two years against serious illness due to infection.
By: National Education Guide
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