Have you seen this on the news?
It great news, but I'm always wary about new vaccines, what if it has side effects?
A new vaccine that protects children from meningitis is being added to the current immunisation programme in a bid to tackle the deadly disease.
The Department of Health (DoH) said today that children will receive three doses of the vaccine to protect them against pneumococcal infection which can cause blood poisoning, meningitis and pneumonia. Over a fifth of those who get the disease die while a further 25 per cent suffer severe after-effects.
Youngsters will be given the vaccine at two months of age, four months and 13 months.
Chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson said the vaccine would save the lives and prevent hundreds of serious illnesses.
The new jab will be introduced across the UK from April.
MenC vaccine is currently given to children at two, three and four months of age but new evidence has shown that protection from the vaccine drops after one year, making spreading out the vaccinations more effective.
A booster dose of Hib vaccine is also being added to the childhood immunisation programme as a routine at 12 months to extend protection against Hib disease.
Meningitis charities welcomed the introduction of the vaccines.
Denise Vaughan, Meningitis Research Foundation's chief executive, said: "We are delighted with the news that the government is introducing these vaccines into the childhood immunisation schedule.
"We know it will save many young lives and we also hope to see benefits in the wider population. However, not all forms of meningitis and septicaemia are vaccine preventable, so the public still need to be aware of their symptoms".track
It great news, but I'm always wary about new vaccines, what if it has side effects?