Parents in Donegal are fearful that their children could contract meningitis B due to a lack of a catch-up programme in vaccinations, according to a local councillor.
In light of a recent spike in cases nationwide, parents are calling on Minister for Health Simon Harris to implement a catch-up vaccination programme for the meningitis B strain for all children and teens.
Children born on or after 1st October 2016 have been offered the HSE vaccination against meningitis B. Any child born before this date must be vaccinated privately, which can cost between €300-450 privately for the doses needed.
Donegal County Councillors yesterday agreed to write to the Minister for Health and the HSE to call for the introduction of a catch-up programme to ensure all children up to 18 years are covered against meningitis B.
Cllr Noel Jordan, who proposed the motion, said that there is a matter of urgency with the issue which is causing ‘huge concern’ among parents.
Cllr Marie Therese Gallagher said that a lot of people might not have known this anomaly has occurred. She added that parents are struggling to afford the vaccination, and she was aware of one local family who got their child vaccinated abroad over Christmas.
Twenty meningococcal cases and three deaths have been recorded by the HSE between 24th December 2018 and 22nd January 2019. The infection has affected people of different ages and occurred in different strains. None of the fatal cases were B or C strains.
The HSE Health Protection and Surveillance Centre has assured the public that recent cases do not signify an outbreak, as meningococcal disease is known to have increased incidence in winter and early spring.
Minister Harris has previously said that he would not be implementing a catch-up programme based on the calls of parents and doctors, and would only take advice from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) on vaccinations.
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