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Another chance for meningitis vaccination tomorrow

Another chance for meningitis vaccination tomorrow

Monday 07 September 2015

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.

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