Ministry confirms babies to get fourth meningitis jab

Babies are to get a fourth dose of the meningococcal B vaccine, the Ministry of Health confirmed today.

The fourth dose will be introduced immediately and will be for infants who received their first dose before they turned six months old.

The Ministry's meningococcal B immunisation programme director Dr Jane O'Hallahan said it was vital this vulnerable group received the fourth dose to ensure optimum protection developed before the onset of winter, when meningococcal disease is most prevalent.

"The clinical trials show that for young babies there is an increased immune response following a fourth dose," she said. "This is important because of the high disease risk for this age group."

The fourth dose will be given to babies when they are at least 10 months old, and a minimum of four months after their third dose.

- NZPA