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Meningitis Vaccine Booster Shot Age

So the meningitis vaccine which protects against very serious illness, meningococcal meningitis is invasive disease and every year children and teenagers get seriously ill and even die from meningitis. So, we typically give the vaccine at age 11 and recently a booster dose was recommended again at age 16 We used to think the meningitis vaccine lasted for about 10 years. So, if you've got the vaccine at age 11, you would be protected through college. But more recent research has shown that immunity wears off over time. So the new recommendation is that a booster dose is given after five years. So, typically in my office, I would give the vaccine at age 11 and then again at age 16. So, if you have a teenager over age 16 or a college student, ask to your pediatrician about getting a booster dose of the meningitis vaccine.

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Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

So the meningitis vaccine which protects against very serious illness, meningococcal meningitis is invasive disease and every year children and teenagers get seriously ill and even die from meningitis. So, we typically give the vaccine at age 11 and recently a booster dose was recommended again at age 16 We used to think the meningitis vaccine lasted for about 10 years. So, if you've got the vaccine at age 11, you would be protected through college. But more recent research has shown that immunity wears off over time. So the new recommendation is that a booster dose is given after five years. So, typically in my office, I would give the vaccine at age 11 and then again at age 16. So, if you have a teenager over age 16 or a college student, ask to your pediatrician about getting a booster dose of the meningitis vaccine.

Meningitis Vaccine: The Facts

by ROGER DOBSON, Daily Mail

With reports of children having died in Britain after being vaccinated against meningitis, parents will be wondering if they should

immunise their children. Here, we look at the most frequently asked questions about

this disease and its vaccine...

What is meningitis?

It is an inflammation of the lining of the brain, which can develop very

rapidly. It is rare and can be serious, although if treated

early most people make a full recovery.

Septicaemia is a form of blood poisoning, which may be caused by the same

germs that cause meningitis.

In the UK, groups B and C types of meningitis are the commonest, and group C

accounts for about 40pc of cases.

What does the vaccine do?

It will protect against Group C meningococcal disease, a major cause of

meningitis and septicaemia in the young. It does not protect against Group B

infection.

How does the vaccine work?

The vaccine is made from part of the meningococcal organism. The aim is to trick the body's immune system into believing

it is being attacked by the meningitis C bug.

It then creates antibodies so that when the real thing comes along, the body

will be able to fight off the infection. Tests suggest the vaccine should

give long-lasting immunity.

Can a child get meningitis or septicaemia from the vaccine?

No, because the new vaccine is not 'live' and cannot give anyone meningitis

or septicaemia.

How is it given?

The vaccine is given by injection into the upper arm, thigh or buttock, and

became part of the routine immunisation schedule in the UK from autumn 1999

Can it be given at the same time as childhood vaccines?

Studies suggest it can safely be given at the same time as MMR and the

pre-school booster and the school leavers' immunisation.

Is it safe to give babies yet another vaccine as part of the routine

programme?

The Department of Health says there is no evidence that vaccines overload a

child's immune system.

How many doses are needed for complete protection?

Original plans were for babies aged two, three and four months to have doses

with each of their polio immunisations. Babies aged over four months and up

to one year will have two doses at least one month apart. Children over one

year and adults need only one dose.

Are there any reasons why the vaccine should not be given?

A high fever on the day of the injection, a severe allergic

response to a previous immunisation, and young women who think they may be

pregnant.

How safe is it? The DoH says:

'Extensive safety tests have been carried out on the vaccine and it has

excellent safety profiles in all ages.' While the vaccine is new, the

constituents are not.

What are these side-effects?

Most common reactions are redness and swelling at injection site, and mild

fever, irritability and headaches.

What long-term studies have been carried out?

Infants first received the vaccine in the UK in 1994, and these are still

being followed up.

No adverse effects have been seen.

Does that mean the vaccine is 100 pc safe?

It is important to remember that the immunisation campaign will involve its

use by millions, and with such numbers, unsuspected and rare side-effects do

sometimes become apparent.

How dangerous is meningitis?

In the year before the vaccine was introduced, about 1,500 people in the UK

were infected by group C meningococci. Of those, 150 mainly children and

young people died.

Who is at most risk?

Meningitis C is most common in babies.

How is it spread?

Meningococcal bacteria can be spread by coughing, sneezing or direct

contact, including kissing.

What are the symptoms?

In babies look for a high-pitched, moaning cry, difficulty in waking, a

refusal to feed or bouts of vomiting, pale or blotchy skin, and red or purple

spots that do not fade under pressure.

In older children and adults, look for said red or purple spots, stiffness in the neck, drowsiness or confusion, severe

headache, vomiting, high temperature and a dislike of bright light.

People with septicaemia usually have a rash, which can be anything from tiny

red spots to large blotchy bruises. Their skin may also be pale and they may

complain of joint pains.

Back-to-school Vaccination Campaign Underway

DONE BY THE SPRING OF 2027. THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR STARTS NEXT MONTH AND THE STATE IS MAKING SURE KIDS GET THEIR REQUIRED VACCINATIONS. IT'S PART OF A CAMPAIGN. IT'S CALLED GOT SHOTS. PROVIDERS ACROSS THE STATE ARE OFFERING VACCINES TO KIDS AT NO COST. STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY DOCTORS HAVE NOT SEEN ANY ILLNESS OUTBREAKS, BUT THE STATE'S CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER SAYS KIDS SHOULD STILL BE FULLY VACCINATED WHEN THEY RETURN TO SCHOOL. SHE SAYS WHILE THE STATE HAS REALLY GOOD VACCINE RATES RIGHT NOW, IT REQUIRES A COLLECTIVE EFFORT. HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS LIKE FQHCS, THE PRIMARY CARE ASSOCIATION, IS A BIG PARTNER FOR US. INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE WORKS REALLY HARD AT VACCINES AND HAS GREAT VACCINATION RATES. WE'VE GOT PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICES IN EVERY COUNTY. THEY GIVE VACCINES. UM, AT NO COST TO, UM, PEOPLE WHO AREN'T INSURED. HERE'S A LIST OF VACCINES YOUR CHILD WILL NEED. SO THE ONLY CHANGE THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE HIGH SCHOOLERS WILL NEED A SECOND MENINGITIS SHOT. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHICH VACCINES YOUR CHILD HAS, THE STATE HAS A WEBSITE AND A PHO

Back-to-school vaccination campaign underway

New Mexico Health offering kids free vaccinations before school year

Updated: 5:03 AM MDT Jul 10, 2024

New Mexico's campaign to get kids vaccinated, "Got Shots?," starts this week. Providers across the state are offering vaccines to kids at no cost. The New Mexico Department of Health's chief medical officer, Miranda Durha, says kids should still be fully vaccinated when they return to school."Kindergarten comes around, and they are required for school entry," Durham said. "I think it just makes everyone work a little bit harder to get those vaccines done because it's a requirement for school."Kids going to school are required to have six vaccinations, some of those being MMR and hepatitis B. To see a full list of all requirements, this chart breaks down everything needed for each age group. The only addition to this year's requirements is for High schoolers, who will have to have the meningitis vaccine. New Mexico, because of this requirement, has a high immunization percentage. "We actually have pretty good vaccine rates, at school," Durham said. "The recommendation started at birth with the hepatitis B vaccine."Durham says older age groups, past kindergarten are responsible for the high rates, but she wishes she saw more vaccination in children under the age of 2. The state department of health says doctors have not seen any illness outbreaks, just 2of cases of measles in the state."We're seeing a lot of cases, in Europe and other places and really across the U.S.," Durham said, "and that's the highly infectious disease that's so preventable by the vaccines."All locations participating in "Got Shots?" are listed here on the UNM Health Website. If you are unsure what vaccinations your child already has, all records on child immunizations can be found at New Mexico Immunization. For more assistance, call the New Mexico Department of Health at 1-833-882-6454 Monday through Friday.

New Mexico's campaign to get kids vaccinated, "Got Shots?," starts this week. Providers across the state are offering vaccines to kids at no cost. The New Mexico Department of Health's chief medical officer, Miranda Durha, says kids should still be fully vaccinated when they return to school.

"Kindergarten comes around, and they are required for school entry," Durham said. "I think it just makes everyone work a little bit harder to get those vaccines done because it's a requirement for school."

Kids going to school are required to have six vaccinations, some of those being MMR and hepatitis B. To see a full list of all requirements, this chart breaks down everything needed for each age group. The only addition to this year's requirements is for High schoolers, who will have to have the meningitis vaccine. New Mexico, because of this requirement, has a high immunization percentage.

"We actually have pretty good vaccine rates, at school," Durham said. "The recommendation started at birth with the hepatitis B vaccine."

Durham says older age groups, past kindergarten are responsible for the high rates, but she wishes she saw more vaccination in children under the age of 2.

The state department of health says doctors have not seen any illness outbreaks, just 2of cases of measles in the state.

"We're seeing a lot of cases, in Europe and other places and really across the U.S.," Durham said, "and that's the highly infectious disease that's so preventable by the vaccines."

All locations participating in "Got Shots?" are listed here on the UNM Health Website. If you are unsure what vaccinations your child already has, all records on child immunizations can be found at New Mexico Immunization. For more assistance, call the New Mexico Department of Health at 1-833-882-6454 Monday through Friday.

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