WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

PRESIDENT of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Dr Bastian Seidel, talks about how to deal with meningococcal.

(1) CONSULT YOUR GP “Now is not the time for generalised advice. The appropriate advice really is to seek specific information from your usual GP to see what vaccinations would be appropriate for you.

“The most important thing people can do right now is to contact their usual GP to really ask about specific, individual advice on how they can protect themselves and whether a vaccination is the appropriate way for them.”

(2) GET VACCINATED “There often is no one size fits all approach, the best way to [protect] yourself from suffering from meningococcal disease is to have the vaccinations.

“There are different types of vaccinations available, and some people might have already had one vaccination, other people might not have had the vaccination.

“Vaccinations are available over the age of six weeks … there are various vaccines available, there are various schedules available, the schedule depends on the age of the person as well.

“It’s very different for a six-year-old compared to a 60-year-old person.

“[Once you have a prescription,] the vaccinations, I believe, are still very much available in Tasmania from the chemist.” (3) DON’T PANIC “There is no need to panic, but it is absolutely appropriate for communities to seek advice.”