New Vaccine Recommendations

In recent years the effort to protect children and young adults from bacterial meningitis has become a major public health priority. To that end Americans currently have access to 2 different types of approved vaccines: the “conjugate” vaccine and the “polysaccharide” vaccine.

But the American Academy of Pediatrics now says that in nearly all cases the conjugate vaccine should be considered the vaccine of choice. Why? Academy experts have concluded that the conjugate vaccine produces a notably stronger and longer-lasting immune response and therefore better protection. The Academy further stresses that all adolescents should be inoculated between the ages of 11 and 12 followed by a booster at age 16. And up through age of 21