Meningitis B vaccine for babies

After a series of delays, the vaccine for Meningitis B is to be given to all babies over the age of two months in the UK. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced a deal with drug manufacturers which means that the vaccine will now be added to the national childhood immunisation scheme.

The news is being welcomed by campaigners who have been fighting for this result since government advice in 2014 that all babies should be protected against Meningitis B. Negotiations over costs have resulted in delays but Mr Hunt is now confident that the vaccinations will be available this year and will help to protect babies against the deadly disease. The vaccinations mean that the UK will become the world leader in protection against Meningitis B and the first to have a nation-wide vaccination against the disease.

Currently, there are around 1,870 cases of Meningitis B in the UK each year, with babies and children under the age of five being the most commonly affected.

Symptoms include:

a high fever

cold hands and feet

vomiting

headaches

confusion/ agitation

A full recovery is usually made if symptoms are spotted early, and most cases are treated with antibiotics successfully. The vaccination aims to cut the 1 in 10 that are currently dying from Meningitis B in the UK and will be administered at two, four and twelve months of age.

For more information on the vaccination, visit the NHS website, and for more information on Meningitis B and the new vaccine please visit the Meningitis Research Foundation.