The National Immunisation Program schedule for children now includes a Meningococcal vaccine covering the 4 strains ACWY for all children aged 12 months. If your child is older and therefore has already had the Meningococcal vaccine C , they can still have the ACWY but you will have to purchase this privately. It’s only one vaccine and costs less than $70.
High school children will be receiving this vaccine in Year 10. In the past two years it was given to students in Years 10-11. We have been provided with stock of this vaccine for anyone aged 15-19 who missed out on the school immunisation program. Please book with our Practice Nurse.
For more information about Meningococcal W go to NSW Health.
Meningococcal B strain is covered by a separate immunisation (usually Bexsero). This vaccine has not been funded for any groups in Australia.
Both vaccines are recommended for:
• all children aged <2 years, as they have the highest rates of invasive meningococcal disease
• adolescents (aged 15–19 years)
• All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 2 months to 19 years, as they are at substantially
higher risk for meningococcal disease than non-Indigenous people
• people with specified medical conditions that increase the risk of meningococcal disease
• Adolescents and young adults (aged 15–24 years) who are living in close conditions (such as military
recruits or those in residential accommodation), as meningococcal bacteria are carried and spread more
frequently in these populations
• Adolescents and young adults (aged 15–24 years) who are current smokers, as they have a higher risk ofcarrying the meningococcal bacteria
NCIRS has a detailed information sheet about all of these vaccines.