Meningococcal W in Northland
The Ministry of Health has announced a free vaccination programme for Meningococcal W in Northland. Northland currently has an outbreak of this strain and while it can affect all ages, it particularly can affect younger children and older teenagers. As a response to this, all children aged from 9 months to under 5 years and teenagers aged 13 to under 20 years who are Northland residents will be eligible for a single free vaccine. Northland will have a regional communications campaign via newspaper and radio media to ensure that those who are eligible for vaccination, and their caregivers, are aware of the programme, and where they can get vaccinated. Vaccine stocks are limited, both nationally and internationally. Therefore those most at risk from the disease and also those most likely to carry the disease and infect others are being vaccinated. Although there have been meningococcal W disease cases in other parts of the country, at this stage the rates are small and we do not have other community outbreaks. The Ministry is monitoring the situation closely and will work with other district health boards if there are increases in cases in their regions. Northland DHB have also provided the following information: •
The free three week Northland community vaccination programme will be starting on Wednesday 5 December until Friday 21 December, 7 days a