Teen immunisation query

[BambooWhoosh]

Can anyone answer a vaccination query please? I am trying to check whether DS is having the correct jabs!

DS (18) has signed his consent form for Meningitis ACWY vaccine which will be given at sixth form later this week.

When he was 15, he had 2 injections (on the same day) at our drs for DTP+MenC.

I've read the nhs vaccination schedule but I'm still not clear as he seems to be getting the Men C again (as part of the ACWY)

Thanks.

[singingbasket]

He will be getting the C part again but this is absolutely fine. It's the other 3 strains that have now been introduced as more people, especially students, are contracting those rather than just Meningitis C. Everyone who was given the C in the last couple of years should be being offered all of them so the majority of people will be having a double dose so to speak.

If you called your GP practice and asked to speak to their immunisation nurse or contacted the team who are going to be actually administering the vaccine, they would be able to answer your question as well.

[MollyHuaCha]

I have teens in both lower and upper sixth. But they've not been offered these vaccinations. Are they standard across the UK?

[LIZS]

It is now given in y10 in schools with dpt booster but only for the last year or two, so older dc get it before uni as a catch up. We arranged it with gp.

[CPtart]

Practice nurse here. Yes the ACWY vaccine has been introduced recently due to a rise in the W strain in older teenagers. It won't matter that he's had the men C previously. You can't 'over vaccinate'. As long as he hasn't already had the ACWY for travel purposes (sub Saharan Africa usually) then he should have it.

[MollyHuaCha]

Sorry to hog yr thread OP, but I have a quick question for CPtart:

We've recently returned to this country after several yrs away. Last summer, I took DCs to my GP surgery practice nurse to ask for the age 14 vaccinations that my teens (now all in 6th form) had missed when they had been out of the UK. She told us that these age 14 vaccinations were no longer given. So they were not given any injections at all. Is this policy only in my local area or is it countrywide? Thanks if you have time to reply!

[CPtart]

No, they should be brought up to date with the UK immunisation schedule as per their age (you can google it). There are national guidelines and an algorithm we use to work this out but need your full vaccination history.
If they missed their 'school leavers' jabs (usually given in high school year 9 or 10) they will at least be due their tetanus booster. I would query this.

[MollyHuaCha]

Thanks, I shall. I really appreciate yr time in replying! Thank you

[BambooWhoosh]

Thank you so much everyone - especially CPtart. I've had a bit of a mad week and I just couldn't make sense of it, but it's clearer now.

He's had the jab today, so all is well.

Thanks again for putting my mind at rest.