Teenagers and university students to get rare meningitis W vaccine

“Older teenagers and those starting university for the first time usually mix with larger groups of people, making them more exposed to various infections or diseases”.

It helps protect against four different causes of meningitis and septicaemia – meningococcal A, C, W and Y diseases.

Any young person born between September 1, 1996 and August 31, 1997 – who have turned 18 or are about to this month – is being written to by their doctors and offered the jab, regardless of whether they are intending to go to university or not.

Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF) have launched #StoptheSpread, a campaign aimed at encouraging young people and students going to University in September to protect themselves against meningitis and septicaemia caused by groups A, C W and Y meningococcal bacteria (MenACWY).

Health Specialist, Programme Division, UNICEF, Dr. Imran Mirza, said: “We have had preliminary discussions with vaccine manufacturers and impressed upon them the need to produce a stockpile of five million doses of vaccine so as to be ready for flare-ups of the disease next year in Africa, but so far they haven’t yet revised their production plans to meet demand”. Please make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible when the vaccine is offered. “You should be vaccinated before the start of the academic term or before leaving home for university or college – ideally two weeks in advance”.

The vaccine will also be available to older students aged 19 to 25 who are starting university this year.

Cases of MenW have been increasing year-on-year, from 22 cases in 2009 to 117 in 2014. “So all these are things we are putting in place to ensure that we contain and manage epidemic diseases while also ensuring that our routine immunisation system also works”.

The disease develops rapidly and early symptoms can include headache, vomiting, muscle pain and fever, with cold hands and feet.

The MRF urge the public to be aware of all signs and symptoms and trust instincts – not to wait for a rash to develop before seeking urgent attention.

“As a charity dealing with the consequences of the disease on a daily basis I would plead directly to parents to make sure that their children gets the Men ACWY vaccination”.

The rise in this ST-11 MenW disease is particularly alarming because it is striking mainly healthy people across all age groups, with a marked spike amongst teenagers and cases are rising steeply.

There will also be a catch-up programme for all 13 to 18 year olds.