Another chance for meningitis vaccination tomorrow

Monday 07 September 2015

Islanders aged 18 and students heading off to uni have one last chance to get a free meningitis vaccine tomorrow.

A clinic is being held on Tuesday at the Outpatient department at the General Hospital between 5 pm and 7 pm.

No appointment is necessary, anyone who wants the vaccination needs to turn up with ID showing their date-of-birth or paperwork confirming their university course title and start date.

The Health department estimate that 39% of those eligible have now been vaccinated.

The move is part of a wider campaign to protect young people against meningitis.

A separate part of the plan will see babies vaccinated at two months, four months and 12 months – stages at which the Health department say that they are at risk from developing the life-threatening disease.

Jersey has seen 12 cases of meningitis in the past 14 years, most of which were Meningitis B cases - UK statistics show that around ten per cent of people who contract the infection die, while many others are left with permanent disabilities.

Meningitis B can affect people of any age; but it is most common in babies and children under five. Tests suggest the new vaccine will protect against 90 per cent of meningitis B strains in the UK – potentially saving around 4,000 children from the infection.