This website is intended for healthcare professionals

News

MenB vaccination programme for babies begins today

From today, babies aged 2 months will be given the vaccine for MenB, followed by an additional dose at 4 months, and a booster at 12 to 13 months, along with routine vaccinations for other conditions.

From today, babies aged 2 months will be given the vaccine for MenB, followed by an additional dose at 4 months, and a booster at 12 to 13 months, along with routine vaccinations for other conditions.

They will receive the vaccine to protect them from the disease at this time as infants under one year old are most at risk of contracting the MenB disease, with the number of cases peaking at around 5 or 6 months of age.

Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at PHE, 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.'

The decision to add the MenB vaccine to the NHS Childhood Immunisation Programme in England was made after the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommended a national MenB immunisation programme for infants using a 3-dose schedule be utilised in March 2014.

The programme will use the Bexsero vaccine. The UK is the first country to use this vaccine as part of routine inoculations.

Jane Ellison, minister for public health, said: 'This is a landmark moment. MenB can be truly devastating and we know the suffering it can cause to families. Now, in our country, every new baby can get this free vaccine to protect them from this terrible disease.'