do they still give teens the BCG vaccine?

[polly28]

was wondering because dd says there is a rumour that she won't be getting one.She is in Yr 9 which is the usual year they do it i think ,anyone know anymore facts.

my dd is 14 and she had her bcg in year 8.

My DD had hers at 14, but I've also heard that it's only to be given to high risk groups now.

It's been scrapped in a few areas round here because they are apparently classed as low risk, so depending on where you are she could be right.

There was a story on the BBC news site in summer that only teens in high risk areas would be given the jab as a matter of course. so your dd may well be right.

They did it at my last school and we're in a fairly rural part of Wales

they have a huge bcg vaccine shortage, which is why they have now decided not to give it to everyone, only those "high risk".
which has coincided nicely with a huge increase in rates of TB, mostly arriving from Eastern Europe.
Sensible, joined up government.

I think it has been discontinued (according to my sister who's a TB specialist nurse)!

I just had mine as I didn't have it in my teens and the TB HV (yes, there are such things!) said the innoculation programme has been scrapped here in schools and is now only targeted at "high risk" groups. Mmmmm...TB is on the increase so let's scrap the immunisations. Yes, that makes sense.

definately discontinued Dr Chris was talking about it on This Morning before Christmas. Makes you laugh I saw an advert in the chemist the week before about rising TB rates.

PPH is right. As i understand it TB is on the rise. And the nurses i spoke to gave the same reason.

Both my two had it at 3 months though because my mum had TB as a child and the infection always remains in the body.

The (asian) nurse baulked when we walked in first time as she said it was so unusual to see a "white child" getting the injection.

From what I've heard from my sister, it is on the increase, but not in the general population so much as within certain limited groups - she works in a prison, where it is quite common. It is also more prevalent in some immigrant communities in London. I asked her if I should be concerned that dd and ds haven't had the BCG and she told me there was no great cause for concern. However, of course, it's quite wrong that they've stopped BCG.

but people don't stay in segregated little groups, we all mix at work, on the train, on the bus!!

i gave it to my two london-born children at birth. I tried to give it to my 3rd but you couldn't get the vaccine for love nor money - complete shortage. as we now live in the country surrounded by600 dairy cows and associated badgers etc I am pretty relaxed about it, I can't imagine him getting to 14 without developing immunity.

If I was still living in hammersmith I'd be pretty cross about it though!

i had the vaccination as a baby, as I would be living in the same house as my gran, who had had TB 8 years earlier. I asked at the hospital for DS to be given the vaccine as a baby, but they wouldn't as he wasn't in a high risk group.

Ah, see now i live in north/ne london and there are plenty of high risk groups around here.

I didnt have to ask for DD's one - they asked if there was TB in my family. I said yes. They sent the form off for an appointment. I had to mention for DS that he'd need it too but it was never argued.

I guess I shouldn't be too concerned as we live in the New Forest,so pretty low risk area.

thanks for all the replies

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