Meningitis, Vitiello: “I tell parents vaccinated without doubts”

“At a time like this when the pandemic has taken over we must not forget the other diseases. They were there before and still are, so we must continue to vaccinate ourselves against these diseases, not focusing exclusively on the covid. Never let your guard down and protect our children at 360 degrees “. With these words Amelia Vitiello, President of the Committee against Meningitis, underlined the importance of not underestimating a subtle and dangerous disease such as meningitis. “I would like to recommend to parents to take advantage of prevention which is always an effective tool against all pathologies and in particular against meningitis, a disease with an extremely rapid course”. In fact, it is often a matter of time, because health care professionals are not always able to intervene promptly with the identification of the disease that is frequently confused with a common flu and therefore to save the subject through the administration of adequate antibiotic therapy “. “We parents – continued Vitiello – are constantly led to make choices for our children and we would always like the best for them. For this reason, I am incredulous when I see that there are still parents who are hesitant to make choices for the protection of their children’s health as in the case of vaccination. It is important to make parents aware of the risks that follow from meningitis as sometimes they are not adequately informed “. “Many consider this disease to be rare due to annual incidence numbers, thinking it cannot affect their children. But is not so. And I am the testimony of this because my daughter Alessia, who died at only 18 months, had all the vaccinations except for the one against meningococcus B which in 2007 was not yet available and, although I consider myself a careful mother, I could not protect her from this disease. As parents we have a duty to guarantee our children the right to health and a healthy life. And we can do this by subjecting them to all the vaccinations that can save their life ”. The importance of prevention is therefore reiterated, on which clinicians and experts heard in the context of “Pre-Occupiamoci della meningitis” agree, an editorial project to raise awareness at national level on the risks associated with this pathology, conceived and promoted by the Group Adnkronos with the non-conditioning support of Gsk Italia. The Committee against meningitis, of which Vitiello is president, was born in May 2011 in a room of the Senate from the meeting of several parents who had the misfortune of losing their children due to meningitis. Together they decided to create something that was collector between institutions, scientific communities and parents, with the hope of being able to fill those information gaps that they themselves had encountered, helping parents to approach vaccinations in a more serene way through information campaigns. and many projects that have followed one another over the years. “Information regarding prevention is basic – Vitiello underlined – but only the correct one, that is, the one that is taken on through discussions with doctors and certainly not with the web or school chats. Correct information on the risks of meningitis but also of other diseases. It is the first step to allow a parent to choose more consciously without making rash choices due to the unfounded fear of adverse vaccine reactions. If you have any doubts, you should always ask your doctor that he will be able to explain how to proceed in science and conscience “.