Meningococcal disease is a rare but life-threatening disease that can cause serious illness including, scarring, loss of limbs, brain damage and death. It commonly appears as an infection of the blood or an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.
Vaccination is a safe and effective way to help to protect yourself from serious disease caused by Meningococcal. No single Meningococcal vaccination protects you from all types of Meningococcal, however vaccinations are available to help to protect you against the types that most commonly cause disease. These are Meningococcal A, B, C, W & Y.
Meningococcal ACWY vaccinations are generally administered as a 3-dose course, and Meningococcal B vaccinations are generally administered as a 2-dose course. The type of vaccination and number of doses you require will be determined by your immuniser after review of your circumstance and vaccination history.
Who is recommended to receive a Meningococcal vaccination?
- Infants
- Children
- Adolescents and young adults
- Special risk groups, including:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- People with eligible medical conditions
- Laboratory workers who frequently handle Neisseria meningitidis
- Travellers
- Young adults who live in close quarters or who are current smokers.
Who is eligible for a free Meningococcal ACWY vaccination?
The Australian Government’s National Immunisation Program (NIP) provides free Meningococcal ACWY vaccines to the following eligible Medicare card holders:
- Children aged 12 months (not available in pharmacy)
- Adolescents aged 14-16 years (primarily delivered through school-based vaccination programs)
- People of all ages with asplenia and hyposplenia, complement deficiency and those receiving treatment with eculizumab.
Who is eligible for a free Meningococcal B vaccination?
The Australian Government’s National Immunisation Program (NIP) provides free Meningococcal B vaccines to the following eligible Medicare card holders:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 2 months, 4 months, 6 months (eligible medical conditions) and 12 months (not available in pharmacy)
- People of all ages with asplenia and hyposplenia, complement deficiency and those receiving treatment with eculizumab.
The Queensland Government’s MenB Vaccination Program provides a free Meningococcal B vaccine to the following eligible Medicare card holders:
- Infants, 6 weeks to 12 months of age (not available in pharmacy)
- Catch up vaccination for children aged over 12 months to less than 2 years (not available in pharmacy)
- Adolescents aged 15-19 years (inclusive)
Please note, NIP and state government funded vaccines can be limited, and not all pharmacies or pharmacist immunisers will have access to these free vaccines at the time of your appointment.
If you believe you may be eligible for a free vaccine, it is recommended that you speak with your pharmacist prior to making your appointment to confirm availability of the free vaccine.
If you do not meet the NIP eligibility, or the pharmacy does not have the free vaccines available at the pharmacy, they will discuss your options with you.
For more information on Meningococcal please click here.