Meninigitis B Vaccination

[Cleoriff]

The good news and making headlines this morning, is, at long last, the meninigitis B vaccine will be available for all new born babies as from September.

Initially being rolled out in England and Scotland with Wales and N.Ireland to follow.

This vaccine which was developed some time ago ...has been delayed by cost disputes.

Now it will  be the first national and publicly-funded programme against this deadly infection anywhere in the world....and will form part of the immunisation programme for our children

Add to this, from August, another meningitis vaccine MEN ACWY will be offered to 17 and 18-year-olds and students starting university this year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-33200775

[Anonymous]

   I was well impressed with this, and anyone who has got kids probably understands better why... Specially until kids are fully verbal, and can complain properly It's always in the back of our minds...is this the flu? This temperature is not going down, why? etc...It's every parents nightmare to hear this word mentioned!

   Just curious about the second vaccine...Don't know if you know the answer to this...why University students? I've not heard anything to do with this....

[Cleoriff]

@Anonymous  It's because research has shown that this age group is very vulnerable in this type of environment. (It is a different meninigitis vaccine)

The vaccine will protect them against meningitis W (Men W) disease, which has seen a sharp rise in cases as a result of a particularly deadly strain of Men W bacteria.

These age groups are at high risk of infection because of close contact in shared accommodation, such as university halls of residence.

[Anonymous]

I guess that children dying sells more newspapers...:( Never once saw anything on the news about this...

The way the media work really winds me up sometimes...had a feeling you were going to say something like this...they wouldn't have developed it for no reason...

[Cleoriff]

With good news such as this ....it's inevitable that it will be followed by worrying news.

There are other strains of Meningitis developing.... for which there is NO vaccine available..:smileysad:

[jonsie]

Whilst I welcome any breakthrough both research wise and cost wise, I'm of the older generation who worry about giving any type of vaccine to babies. I'm sure this can only be a good thing but I thank the Lord that these choices are no longer mine to worry myself sick over. I know this is tried and tested but I recall the horrors of Thalidomide given or add a wonder drug. Medicine has no relation to those days thankfully, but still....

[Cleoriff]

I remember Thalidomide very well @jonsie...I consider myself lucky as I was pregnant when that was released and had dire morning sickness...but never bothered to go to the doctors for anything to stop it. However after that horrific mistake, drug testing is now more and more regulated. Personally I would give this to a child or grandchild of mine in an instant...

[jonsie]

That's good enough for me @Cleoriff

Meningitis is every parents worse nightmare but it's frightening to know that new strains are advancing as quickly as we control B strain.

[Anonymous]

I'll be first in line with my kidios!!! I've had 2 scares with them staying overnight in the hospital...

[ComaChameleon]

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@Cleoriff wrote:

I remember Thalidomide very well @jonsie...I consider myself lucky as I was pregnant when that was released and had dire morning sickness...but never bothered to go to the doctors for anything to stop it.

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You mean Contergan from Grünenthal? I thought it's just a sedative/hypnotic and for calming down?

For what was it advertised in UK primarily?

Just curious about that, the company is from my area and a friend works there