This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Meningitis C vaccine extended
07/01/2002
All young people under 25 will from today be entitled to the Meningitis C vaccine, it has been announced.
The £2.45 million vaccination programme is to be introduced following a recommendation by the UK Wide Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) that the vaccine, currently available to everyone under 18, should be extended to all those aged 24 and under.
Young people between the ages of 20 and 24 are almost three times as likely to become infected with Meningitis C than those aged between 25 and 30.
Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Dr Mac Armstrong, said:
"Meningitis C is a killer disease, but it is one which, thanks to our hugely successful vaccination programme, we are beginning to tackle.
"In 1999, when the vaccination programme was first introduced for young people under the age of 18, who are now under the age of 20, Meningitis C caused eight deaths, compared with one in 2001. The same period saw an 80 per cent reduction in the number of cases of Meningitis C in under 20s.
"Thanks to the vaccination programme, the vast majority of young Scots are now vaccinated against Meningitis C. Today's announcement will extend the vaccination programme to make it available to everyone under 25 in Scotland. I would urge as many young Scots as possible to come forward to be vaccinated against this very serious and potentially fatal disease."
Health Education Board for Scotland (HEBS) are producing an information leaflet entitled "Aged 20-24? Get immunised with Men C" and an accompanying poster. Throughout January sample packs will be distributed to GP surgeries, immunisation co-ordinators, pharmacies, job centres, colleges, universities, armed forces recruitment centres and Health Promotion Departments.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis is caused by several different organisms including viruses and bacteria. Bacterial meningitis is a very serious, but quite rare disease. In the UK there are two main strains of meningococcal infection identified as B and C.
Over the last five years there has been an average of around 100-160 cases of Group C meningococcal disease in Scotland resulting in around five to 10 deaths each year.
In November 1999, a mass immunisation campaign commenced to immunise all UK children and young people under the age of 18 years with Meningitis C Conjugate vaccines. (There is no vaccine yet against type B meningitis). The UK was the first country in the world to introduce this vaccine.
In the 20-24 year age group, there were 36 cases of Group C infection, of whom five died in the period 1997-2001.