WIREDGOV

New vaccination programmes announced.

The Scottish Government has announced that from 1 September, the meningitis B vaccine will be introduced to the routine childhood vaccination programme in Scotland.

Scotland is now one of the few nations in the world to offer the vaccination, which will offer protection against the life-threatening strain of meningitis to all infants.

The vaccination will be given in three doses at two, four and 12 months, with all infants in Scotland who are aged two months when the vaccine is introduced being eligible. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has also advised that when the programme starts there should be a one-off, catch-up programme for infants aged three and four months of age who will be attending for their routine vaccinations.

Additionally, in response to an increase in the number of cases of meningitis W, and based on advice from the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation, a MenACWY vaccine will be introduced to replace the MenC vaccine used in the adolescents and freshers vaccination programmes.

From 1 August that vaccine will be offered to students under the age of 25 attending university for the first time this Autumn, along with a catch-up programme for all 14 to 18 year olds.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said yesterday:

“These two new vaccination programmes will offer families in Scotland extra peace of mind.

"We’re delighted to be one of the first countries in the world to introduce a nationwide MenB vaccination programme to help tackle the effects of this disease, which can be devastating for children and their families.

“The Scottish Government has been consistent in its support for the introduction of this vaccine and today’s announcement underlines our commitment to ensuring the health and wellbeing of our children.

“Around 1,200 people – mainly babies and children – get meningitis B each year in the UK, and around one in 10 die from the infection.

“I am also very pleased to see the expedited launch of the MenW vaccine prevention programme for teenagers. This vaccine also protects against MenA, MenC and MenY, making sure young people are protected at such an important time in their academic lives.”

Chief Executive of Meningitis Now, Sue Davie said yesterday:

“We’re delighted to see these vaccination programmes moving forward and offering protection to new babies and young people across Scotland. Today’s announcement is a tribute to the tireless and selfless efforts of our supporters, for many of whom sadly these vaccines come too late. We are ready to support the introductions in any way we can.”

Scotland Manager of Meningitis Research Foundation, Mary Millar said:

“On behalf of our Scottish members of Meningitis Research Foundation who have been affected by this deadly disease, we are delighted to welcome the MenB vaccine for babies and MenACWY vaccine for teenagers and students. These two programmes are the culmination of years of research which will spare countless families the trauma of seeing a loved one die or left seriously disabled by meningitis and septicaemia.”

Gemma Lessells from Inverkeithing said:

“My son Matthew contracted meningitis B in 2010 when he was 13 months old. He was quiet and had a temperature at 4pm. He started being sick at 6 pm and by 10 pm he was in hospital fighting for his life. He had cannulas everywhere, they were taking his blood pressure every 15 minutes. His heart rate was 210 and his temperature on admission was 40.9.

“We were incredibly lucky - Matthew survived, though has delayed expressive speech and suffered night terrors following his hospital stay. We are also in the process of discussing possible behavioural side effects with his Health Visitor, but other than that we have a gorgeous healthy happy boy with a laugh that lights up a room. I would not want any parent or child to go through what we did, and welcome news of the implementation of these two new vaccines in Scotland.”

Notes To Editors

Men B:

The Meningitis B vaccine will be introduced into the routine childhood vaccination programme from 1 September 2015. All infants aged 2 months on/from this date (i.e. those born from 1 July 2015) will be offered the Men B vaccine at two, four and 12 months.

The vaccine will be administered at the same time as the other routine vaccinations received by infants at two, four and 12 months.

There will also be a one-off catch-up for infants aged three and four months at the start of the programme who will be attending for their routine vaccination appointments at these times. As an indicator infants in the catch up cohort will have been born between 1 May 2015 and 30 June 2015. Infants born before 1 May 2015 will not be eligible to receive the Men B vaccine.

Men ACWY:

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) met on 4 February 2015 to consider the most recent epidemiological evidence in relation to an increasing number of cases of Meningitis W (Men W) in the UK.

The Committee advised that the replacement of Men C vaccine with Men ACWY vaccine for the adolescents and freshers’ vaccination programmes was likely to be beneficial in controlling invasive Men W disease and against Men C.

The JCVI recommended that the replacement should be implemented from academic year 15/16. The Committee also recommended that a catch-up programme for all 14 to 18 year olds using Men ACWY vaccine should also be offered as quickly as possible.

There will be two aspects to the programme in 2015-2016.

• Freshers Programme
• Catch-up programme for 14-18 year olds

For more information on Gemma Lessells (nee Baxter) see: http://www.meningitis.org/book-of-experience/matthew-lessells-39815