News location:

Canberra Today 17°/21° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Students to get free meningococcal vaccination

ALL year 10 students in the ACT will receive a free meningococcal vaccination next year to protect against the “W” strain of this potentially fatal disease.

The school-based vaccination program will provide protection against the meningococcal A, C, W and Y strains.

Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris said the vaccine offer is based on the fact that older teenagers and young adults were at increased risk of meningococcal disease and were most likely to spread the disease to others.

“Meningococcal W and meningococcal Y disease have been increasing across Australia in recent years, and outbreaks of meningococcal W are currently occurring in WA, NT and SA,” she said.

During term one 2018, school immunisation teams will visit high schools across the ACT and provide this vaccine to Year 10 students with parental approval.

 

 

Who can be trusted?

In a world of spin and confusion, there’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in Canberra.

If you trust our work online and want to enforce the power of independent voices, I invite you to make a small contribution.

Every dollar of support is invested back into our journalism to help keep citynews.com.au strong and free.

Become a supporter

Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

Share this

Leave a Reply

Related Posts

Follow us on Instagram @canberracitynews