The Meningitis Trust has welcomed advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccine and Immunisation (JCVI) to the Government to provide a booster immunisation programme for Meningitis C (Men C) in early adolescence.

JCVI studies suggest that moving a booster jab until a child is aged over 6 provides longer-lived immunity. Moving it to early adolescence provides ‘markedly higher’ levels of protection that extend the immunity into early adulthood and possibly longer.

Group C meningococcal vaccine was introduced in November 1999 and is credited by the Health Protection Agency with playing a vital role in preventing about 1,000 cases of the disease and over 100 deaths each year since then.  At the moment children get three doses of the vaccine – at three and four months, and between 12 to 13 months.

Sue Davie, the Trust’s Chief Executive, said: “Any step forward in fighting meningitis is to be welcomed. We know vaccination is the only way to prevent it and save lives, and if this advice makes that a safer and more effective process, then we’re right behind it.

“Every day at the Trust we see the devastating effects of meningitis on individuals and the toll this takes on their families and friends. Although the disease will always be with us in some form or another, anything that contributes to preventing suffering and reducing this toll has our full backing.”

The advice from JCVI is still preliminary and more work will be carried out before further recommendations are made to Government.