Free NHS meningitis jab for all children following government U-turn

A vaccine that protects children against meningitis will be introduced in the UK.

16:59 21 March 2014

After previously saying that the vaccination that protects children against a deadly form of meningitis was not cost-effective, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), has made a U-turn and recommended its implementation to the government.

The organisation said that today’s decision was reached due to access to more data about meningitis and the vaccination.

It stated: "After very careful consideration, JCVI concluded that use of the new vaccine would reduce cases of meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia and lead to a reduction in deaths, limb amputations and brain injury caused by the disease.

"Today the JCVI published its recommendation to the UK health departments that if the new vaccine can be purchased at a low price and is therefore cost effective for the NHS, it should be used in the routine immunisation programme for babies in the UK to prevent disease.

"Routine use of the MenB vaccine is expected to make an important contribution to the health of our population."

JCVI also recommended the jab be added to the existing immunisation schedule, starting at two months of age. Around 700,000 infants will be eligible for the vaccination each year.