Appeal to make sure young people have meningitis vaccine

YOUNG people in the West Midlands are putting themselves at risk of lifethreatening meningitis, as figures show uptake of the MENACWY vaccine has been worryingly low in parts of the region.

Around one in five students in parts of the West Midlands missed their routine vaccine in secondary school, leaving local teenagers unprotected before arriving at university this academic year.

The best uptake of the MENACWY vaccine was in Coventry, where 4.8% of young people were unvaccinated; followed by Warwickshire, with 5.9% unprotected against meningitis.

Caryn Cox, Consultant in Health Protection leading on vaccine preventable diseases for UKHSA West Midlands, said: “Meningococcal bacteria can cause meningitis – a dangerous inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal column – and septicaemia (blood poisoning), which can both trigger sepsis. Meningococcal disease needs urgent treatment and can be lifethreatening. That’s why such low uptake of the free MENACWY vaccine in parts of the West Midlands is so worrying – because it really can be a matter of life and death.

“First year or returning students are at increased risk of meningitis, mixing with large numbers of other students from around the country and overseas. “Low immunity levels and a lack of exposure to infections since the pandemic has left young people even more vulnerable to meningococcal disease, so it’s especially important that students get their MENACWY vaccine if they missed it at school.”