What is the best way to prevent meningitis in children? Can vaccines help?
Meningitis is a serious disease that can be caused by various agents, including Hib bacteria, pneumococcus, and meningococcus. These agents can be prevented through different types of injections. There are several vaccines available for meningitis, including the Hib meningitis vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine, and meningococcal vaccine.
The Hib meningitis vaccine is typically given as a combined 5-in-1 or 6-in-1 injection and is recommended for children as early as 2 months old, with the earliest vaccination at 6 weeks of age and the latest at 2 years old. For those aged between 2 months to 15 years old, there is also a single Hib vaccine available. The pneumococcal vaccine helps prevent diseases caused by bacteria such as pneumonia and meningitis and is given to children from 2 months old, with the earliest vaccination at 6 weeks of age.
Different types of meningococcal vaccines are available for different age groups ranging from children as young as two months old to adults up to 55 years old. It’s important that children get vaccinated against meningitis as soon as they are old enough to effectively prevent it. In addition to vaccination, other disease prevention measures such as exercising, eating a healthy diet, wearing masks and practicing good hygiene should also be followed to prevent transmission of meningitis.
