Revaccination as prevention of tuberculosis in children

Every year, in the first month of the school year, children 6-7 years old, students of grade 1, in all schools of the republic, are given a revaccination of BCG (repeated administration of the Bacilla Calmette-Guerin vaccine). Other vaccinations for these children are prohibited during this period.

In connection with the coronavirus pandemic, the issue of holding these events was brought up to the republican meeting. In mid-August, by a collegial decision of phthisiopulmonologists, representatives of the Committee for Quality Control and Safety of Goods and Services and epidemiologists of regional departments, it was decided to conduct, as in previous years, tuberculin diagnostics and revaccination of 1st grade students.

It was taken into account that the incidence of coronavirus infection has begun to decline, and the consequences of refusing to carry out planned preventive measures to prevent tuberculosis among children may have a negative prolonged nature.

In the joint order of the health and education departments of the Akmola region "On the revaccination against tuberculosis for pupils of the 1st grade of schools in the region during the period of quarantine restrictive measures", recommendations were given on the observance of sanitary safety measures, compliance with the requirements of regulatory documents during preventive vaccinations.

In the capital region 12,746 children are planned to be covered with tuberculin diagnostics, revaccinations of 7,135 first-graders.

Recall that vaccination and revaccination of BCG is a priority in the prevention of tuberculosis in children. BCG vaccination is carried out for newborns in perinatal centers and maternity wards, in the first 4 days of life.

Early BCG vaccination does not protect against infection with the causative agent of tuberculosis in all cases, but it really protects against the transition of a latent infection into an obvious more severe course of the disease (in 70% of vaccinated), and almost 100% protects against severe forms of tuberculosis - from tuberculous meningitis, tuberculosis of bones and joints and severe forms of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Immunity after BCG vaccination lasts 6-7 years, therefore, all children with a negative Mantoux reaction are re-vaccinated, it is convenient to carry out this at the time of a change in their social status, upon entering school. IT IS IMPORTANT! Unvaccinated children get sick with tuberculosis 15 times more often than vaccinated in a timely manner, in compliance with all the rules.

Revaccination is carried out to healthy uninfected children with negative Mantoux test for children aged 6-7 years. Before revaccination, each child is given a test of mantoux i.e. tuberculin diagnosis, which is one of the main methods of early detection of tuberculosis in children.