[Universal vaccination against group C meningococci and pneumococci; advice from the Health Council of the Netherlands].

A committee of the Health Council of the Netherlands recently advised the Minister of Health on nationwide vaccination against group-C meningococci and pneumococci. They recommended the introduction of both vaccines into the national vaccination programme. The meningococcal C vaccine should be introduced as soon as possible, and the pneumococcal vaccine should be introduced as soon as a combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio and H. influenzae type B is available. In the meantime, due to various clusters of meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis C in the Netherlands, parents have started to have their children vaccinated by buying vaccines and asking their general practitioners to perform the vaccination. This unfavourable situation must be controlled by the government through clear publicity to parents and healthcare workers.