Northland health officials are rolling out community clinics across the region as part of its mass vaccination campaign to inoculate up to 40,000 young Northlanders against the meningococcal C disease that has killed three people since July.
A meningococcal C outbreak has been declared in Northland, with seven confirmed casescaused by group C bacteria in Northland, including three deaths, since July. A 16-month-old child is in Whangarei Hospital with suspected meningococcal disease and there have also been four cases of meningococcal B in the region this year.
The Northland District Health Board last month launched a mass meningococcal C vaccination campaign aimed at inoculating up to 85per cent of the 44,000 Northlanders aged from 1 to 20 against the potentially deadly disease.
The DHB has rolled out community clinics as part of the campaign. They will visit small communities and places where young people are known to gather, including malls, shopping centres, health clinics, supermarkets and even the Whangarei skate park.
The clinics will give free meningococcal C jabs to people and Northland DHB medical officer of health Jonathan Jarman said it was a safe and effective vaccine which could protect against meningococcal C disease.
"I'd urge all parents to get their child vaccinated against Meningococcal C disease. They can do this by returning their child's school consent back to their school or take their child to their family doctor or GP. It only takes one visit and it is free," Dr Jarman said.
However, Dr Jarman warned the MeNZB vaccine, which was offered to children and teenagers between 2004 and 2008 to control the meningococcal B epidemic, did not give protection against meningococcal C.
"However, this year the outbreak of meningococcal disease is group C. They are different [from group B] ... I strongly recommend you talk to your family doctor about whether your child should be vaccinated against group C meningococcal disease."
Symptoms of meningococcal disease in babies and young children may include fever, irritability, sleepiness, floppiness, hard to wake, refusing drink or food, vomiting and a rash. Adults can have similar symptoms and may also have a stiff neck, headache and sensitivity to lights.
Details and times for the meningococcal C vaccination community clinics can be found at www.northlanddhb.org.nz.
