More Injections for Babies

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Published: 13 February 2006

More Injections for Babies

Routine pneumococcal vaccine is being introduced as part of a series of changes to the childhood immunisation programme announced by the Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson.

The vaccine is intended help save lives and prevent hundreds more children becoming ill.

When pneumococcal infection enters the bloodstream (invasive pneumococcal disease) it can cause serious illnesses such as meningitis, septicaemia (blood poisoning) and pneumonia. Approximately 5,000 cases of invasive pneumococcal disease occur in England and Wales each year, around 530 of these in children under two years and about a third are cases of pneumococcal meningitis.

Estimates vary but as many as 50 children under two lose their lives from serious pneumococcal infections in England and Wales each year.

Sir Liam Donaldson said:

"Pneumococcal infection can cause very serious illness such as meningitis and pneumonia as well as being one of the most common bacterial causes of ear infections.

The under 2s are a particular risk group. The new vaccine will save lives and prevent hundreds more cases of serious illness and disability in both the young and old as well as reducing the need for medical care.

We have already seen the immense impact this programme has had in the US. Since its introduction, cases in young children caused by the strains in the vaccine have fallen by 94%, and cases in the over 65s have dropped by two thirds.

Immunisation is the best way to protect children from serious disease and the routine childhood programme has been extremely effective in achieving this. The changes set out today will further improve the programme and benefit children."

Sir Liam also announced two other changes to maximise protection against Meningitis C and Hib disease:

· The current three doses of MenC vaccine will be respaced at three and four months of age with a booster at 12 months.

MenC vaccine is currently given to children at 2, 3 and 4 months of age. However, the latest evidence shows that the protection offered by this vaccine wanes one year after vaccination.

To maximise the protection in the first two years of life when the risk of infection is high, we will offer doses at 3 and 4 months of age and a booster dose at 12 months.

· A booster dose of Hib vaccine will be given at 12 months.

Hib vaccine was introduced in 1992 and is currently given to children at 2, 3 and 4 months of age.

Since 1999, there was a small but gradual increase in the number of cases in older children being reported. Again, this is due to the protection offered by the vaccine waning over time. In 2003, there was a Hib booster campaign when a booster dose was given to older children to boost their immunity.

This reversed the small increase in infections that had started to occur. A booster dose of Hib vaccine is being added to the childhood immunisation programme as a routine at 12 months to extend protection against Hib disease.

Philip Kirby, Chief Executive of the Meningitis Trust said:

"Vaccination is the only way to prevent meningitis and we welcome this announcement as it will help save lives. Pneumococcal meningitis is a devastating disease - 20% of those who get it will die and a further 25% will suffer severe after-effects."

Denise Vaughan, Meningitis Research Foundation's Chief Executive, said:

"We are delighted with the news that the government is introducing these vaccines into the childhood immunisation schedule.

We know it will save many young lives and we also hope to see benefits in the wider population.

However, not all forms of meningitis and septicaemia are vaccine preventable, so the public still need to be aware of their symptoms".

The new routine vaccination schedule:

· 2 months DTaP/IPV/Hib + pneumococcal vaccine

· 3 months DTaP/IPV/Hib + MenC vaccine

· 4 months DTaP/IPV/Hib + MenC + pneumococcal vaccine

· 12 months Hib/Men C

· 13 months MMR + pneumococcal vaccine

DTaP/IPV/Hib is a single vaccine that protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Hib.

MenC protects against meningitis C Hib/ MenC is a combined vaccine protecting against Hib and Meningitis C