15 Feb 2017
The NSW Minister for Health has announced the start of a school-based meningococcal vaccination program targeting Year 11 and 12 students in Term 2 2017.
Meningococcal W has emerged as a significant cause of invasive meningococcal disease with the number of cases almost tripling in NSW in 2016 compared to 2015. Meningococcal disease is a rare but serious illness that can present as meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord) or septicaemia (blood poisoning) and may be caused by one of several serogroups (or types), including A, B, C, W and Y. Use of meningococcal C vaccine on the National Immunisation Program has almost eradicated meningococcal C disease in Australia.
For more information, download the attached PDF.
Meningococcal Vaccination Program (pdf 141 KB)