From 1 January 2027, meningococcal B vaccination will be made available to year 10 students in Victoria.
People with invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) can become extremely unwell very quickly. IMD is rare, but it can be life-threatening and can cause long-term complications. There are five vaccine-preventable subtypes of meningococcal disease: A, C, W, Y and B.
Meningococcal ACWY vaccination is provided on the NIP for babies, teens and people with certain medical conditions. Meningococcal B vaccination is offered on the NIP for high-risk groups including First Nations children and people with certain medical conditions, and to other groups through some jurisdiction-based programs.
MVEC strongly recommends everyone wishing to be protected against ACWY and B strains of meningococcal disease be immunised. Those aged 6 weeks of age and older who do not meet the funding criteria can purchase vaccines privately through some councils, GPs and pharmacies.
For more information about Victoria’s new meningococcal B vaccination program, visit: Premier of Victoria: Protecting Victorian Teens From Meningococcal B Và ABC: Victoria to fund free meningococcal B vaccines for Year 10 students.
To read more about meningococcal disease, transmission, epidemiology and prevention, got to MVEC: Viêm não mô cầu.