Redcar Mum Welcomes MenB Vaccination Programme
A Redcar mum who almost lost her son to meningitis has welcomed a new vaccination programme.
From next week every new baby in the North East can get a vaccine to protect them against meningococcal group B (MenB) disease.
It's the latest to be added to the NHS Childhood Immunisation Programme - so babies will have it at the same time as other jabs.
Redcar mum Allison Agar says she's been fighting for this since her son was diagnosed with the disease at just six months old.
She said:
“Your life falls apart; it’s one of those words you dread hearing and the initial assumption is that he’s going to die.
“At the end of the day, this is saving families because the thought of losing him, to me, that would almost be my life over. If somebody had said to us at the time that there was a vaccine available, I would have had it in a shot.”
But there are calls to protect older people too as it can still hit in adolescents.
Allison said:
“I think a lot of the publicity is aimed at children and babies. I do think teenager and beyond are a neglected group and I think more needs to be done for them too”
Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at Public Health England said:
"This vaccine will help to save lives and prevent permanent disability. Meningococcal B disease can be devastating for babies and young children and it has cut many lives short and left young people disabled.
"We must all remain alert to the signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease and seek urgent medical attention if there is any concern as the vaccine does not protect against all types of meningococcal disease.
"Bexsero has a good safety record, but Public Health England is also making parents aware of an increased risk of fever when the vaccine is given alongside other immunisations, and the need to purchase infant liquid paracetamol for the two and four month appointment visits.
"It's important that parents use paracetamol following vaccination to reduce the risk of fever. The fever peaks around six hours after vaccination but is nearly always mild and gone within two days. The fever shows the baby's body is responding to the vaccine, although the level of fever depends on the individual child and does not indicate how well the vaccine has worked - some infants may not develop a fever at all.”