Two new vaccination programmes are being introduced to the British National Schedule:
- Meningococcal group B (Men B) vaccine will be added to the childhood programme from 1 September 2015. Babies born on or after 1 July 2015, will be offered MenB vaccine (Bexsero®) along with existing vaccinations at 2, 4 and 12-13 months.
- Quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine (Men ACWY) will be added to the vaccination programme from 1 August 2015, (Scotland) and 1 September 2015, (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). This vaccine will replace the Men C vaccine used currently in S3 and for first time university entrants under 25 years who did not receive the vaccine in school. This programme has been introduced in response to an increase in cases of meningococcal group W (Men W) in the UK. In January 2015, 34 laboratory confirmed cases were notified to Public Health England, compared to 18 cases in 2014 and 9 cases in 2013 in the same period.
The British National Schedule page and the Meningococcal Meningitis page on TRAVAX have been updated to reflect these changes.
Further information:
