Thousands take up Meningitis jab

Tuesday 08 December 2015

More than 3,200 teenagers have been vaccinated against an aggressive strain of meningitis that is expected to hit Jersey at some point soon.

The Meningococcal W infection has been rising steeply in the UK since 2009, and mainly affects young people.

The Health department is immunising as many young people as possible to protect them ahead of the infection reaching the Island, on the advice of UK experts.

Dr Linda Diggle, the Head of Healthcare Programmes, said: “Meningococcal W disease is a relatively new threat, with an infection rate that’s been rising steeply in England since 2009.

“This rise is showing no signs of slowing down and with a death rate among those infected of around one in six, it’s a particularly aggressive ‘hyper-virulent’ strain that is expected to be around in the UK for the next decade.

“Consequently, we expect it will reach our shores at some point.

“We needed to protect our teenagers before it arrived here, reduce the chances of it being transmitted and mitigate its impact.”

Already, everyone from year groups 10 to 13 in schools and at Highlands College have been offered the protection MenACWY vaccine, and 82% of them have taken it up.

Anyone who was born between 1 September 1996 and 31 August 2001 who hasn’t yet been vaccinated is being urged to have the jab – there’s a free clinic arranged tomorrow at the hospital out-patient area from 4 pm to 6 pm.