In which case is the anti-gastro vaccine recommended?
Vaccination is offered to children who are kept in the community, in whom the risk of gastroenteritis is higher. The vaccine prevents the most severe forms and avoids hospitalization. While rotavirus is the leading cause of gastroenteritis in children, it is not the only one. In other words, even vaccinated, a baby can get gastroenteritis from another virus.
Vaccination is carried out from the first weeks and must be completed before the age of 6 months.
Is the anti-gastro vaccine recommended by health authorities?
In France, it is considered that this is not a priority vaccination because gastroenteritis is not a fatal disease. Its main consequence is dehydration, which can be avoided by dietary measures and oral rehydration fluids. It is therefore not recommended systematically. But the effectiveness of these vaccines has been proven. In the United States, Belgium, Finland, Austria and Luxembourg, this vaccination is also recommended.
Is the anti-gastro vaccine covered by Social Security?
The vaccine is responsible for a very small increase in the risk of intussusception (part of the intestine turns on itself like a “glove finger”) but it does take place. In addition, medico-economic studies show that at the price at which it is sold (150 euros for 3 doses) it would not save the State if it were reimbursed. It is therefore not. This may change in the years to come. The opinions of the Haut-Conseil are in fact regularly reassessed.
