Vaccine licensed at last

5.00pm - By MARTIN JOHNSTON

The vaccine targeting the deadly New Zealand strain of meningococcal disease has been licensed.

Health Minister Annette King this afternoon announced the provisional licensing of the vaccine, which will allow it to go into mass use from July 19.

Under the $200 million vaccine programme, the Ministry of Health and district health boards aim to vaccinate 90 per cent of people under 20.

This is expected to take 18 months.

The first areas in which the vaccine injections will be given are Counties Manukau and several eastern suburbs in Auckland City, which are among the localities of highest incidence of the disease.

"This is the fantastic news we have been waiting for," Ms King said. "It shows that a small country can pro-actively respond to a serious public health issue caused by a terrible disease."

New Zealand's meningococcal epidemic began in 1991. Since then more than 5400 people have come down with the disease and 220 have died of it. A fifth of people who become ill from it suffer serious disabilities such as limb amputations or brain damage.

The Health Ministry today dispelled earlier fears that some stocks of the vaccine would have to be dumped because of delays in licensing meaning they would be unable to be used before an October 31 expiry date.

Deputy director-general, public health, Dr Don Matheson, said the expiry date had been extended by 18 months.

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Herald Feature: Health