Meningitis B vaccination for 7 year old

[Potteryprincess30]

I was looking for advice on whether my daughter who is 7 (nearly 8) would have had this vaccination when she was a baby and also if not (because it wasn't available yet) if people think it's worth paying privately to have it.

I am currently pregnant with my second baby so this is how I found out that the meningitis B vaccine is now given (maybe it was before but it's nearly 8 years since I had a newborn so I can't remember).

Any information would be much appreciated. Also Is it given on the NHS in schools at 14 if they missed it as a baby?

In an ideal world i'd just go private and get her immunised but it costs £140 for one shot then they advise a follow up booster a few months later. Half that cost I'd seriously consider it but £280 in all is far too much for me to afford.

Any medical professionals out there is this a normal ish charge for private vaccinations?

Lots of questions but hopefully others are interested too so thank you in advance for any advice or information

Not sure on that one sorry. My youngest is 10 and I know they didn’t have it as a baby.

I'm pretty sure an 8 year old won't have had it. My DS is 4 and didn't get it because they started just too late so I had it done privately. Your new born should be given it.

My DS was born just a few months before the starting age (April 15 I think) so he wasn't eligible. When I looked into it at the time there was an extremely short supply so I left it for the moment.
I have since looked into it again and it seems the at risk group is those under 1. As he is past this age I have decided not to, but it is a very personal decision.

@EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic from a bit of research teenagers are more susceptible to it so it looks like even some universities off it in Freshers week now too. I guess if there's a vaccine I'm just one of those people who want their children to have it even if infection is unlikely at this time/age.

If your 10 year old hasn't had it then I'm guessing mine hadn't either then. It does look like it's only a few years old

I think only children turning 3 around now will have had it as a baby. The government also gave it to 16/17/18yr olds esp those about to go to university. I’m not sure if that’s still running. I paid privately for my 3. It meant a very lean Christmas last year (2016) but I figured better a lean Christmas that year with 5 of us than a heartbroken one the following year with 4.

@scaredofthecity that's frustrating you were so close to the introduction of it. Looks like she's definitely not had it then. It's so expensive privately, I was hoping it was around 70 pounds for each shot but I've only enquired at one place. Not sure if the actual doctors do it more affordably like the travel ones you can get?

No she won't have had it - my ds who is now 11 was part of the UK men B vaccine trial when he was a baby. My 17 year old had it privately (boots) & my 6 & 8 year olds are having it next month.

Dd (17) just had the men ACWY via the GP but the others won't be eligible for that until they are older teens.

Just look at the vaccine schedule and it looks like mine will get MenACWY vaccine at 14. Do you think they need Men B as well?

I paid for my now 3.6yo DD1 to have it a year ago, she'd just missed out on getting it as a baby. As PPs has said children under 3 won't have had it as part of their standard immunisations.
It might be worth asking around as we paid £110 per jab (Boots), which I appreciate is still a lot, but is £60 less than you've been quoted overall.
We decided to pay for it as I could never forgive myself if she came down with it and we had had the chance to prevent it. Being more prevalent in teens and babies doesn't mean it can't happen in other aged children. I spoke to the nurse who gave DD2 her jabs (inc Meng B) if it was worth it and she gave a very clear yes. Finally, after reading a news story about a child who died 6hrs after showing symptoms it was pushed firmly to the top of our 'to do' list. If you can in any way stretch to it I would do it.

My DD was a month too old to receive it (all babies after May 2015) so I got it privately. My cousin who's in intensive care nurses got her two children done as soon as vaccines were available and a doctor friend paid for her DCs. To me, if these HCPs are rushing to get their kids vaccinated, there was no way I was going to leave DD unvaccinated. If you can find the money, I really would.

@skankingpiglet thanks for the information, @teaandbiscuitsforme and @Laniakea many thanks also for the replies. I know its not something you 'can put a price on' so to speak but I really couldn't even entertain 280 pounds

Saying that though I also wouldn't have been suprised if it had been like 500 privately as it can be with private medical type things. Will definitely be looking at boots if they do it for £110 though, I can stretch to that just about for something that seems advisable from what you all have said. Will have a quick google now

From the boots website- The Meningitis B Vaccination Service costs £110 per vaccination, and the two-dose course costs £220

Read more at www.boots.com/health-pharmacy-advice/vaccinations/menb#r1VZ2wLdjRAmfsFG.99

I'm guessing you have to have the booster too so still £220 but at least they are 8 weeks apart. Going to try and book it today I think

Oh and superdrug do it for 105 pounds a dose. Seems to have gone up since last year where boots were offering it for 95 pounds. Think theres been some kind of rush on it so a shortage (or so they say)

We live in a country where it hasn't been put on the schedule (partly because meningitis rates are considerably lower than in the UK), but it was still important to me (and some paediatricians here support mass introduction) and we were lucky enough to be able to afford it privately for our dc. I'd try and get it done IIWY. It's true that the long-term immunity data are not in yet and some of the mid-term data from trials weren't enormously impressive, but the vaccine covers several strains and IIRC protection was a lot better for some of them than for others. I also remember hearing it may offer some protection against the currently particularly problematic strain of MenW.

(I suspect that in a few years boosters may be introduced for older age groups, but in the interim I really think it would be worth getting it done)

We paid about £120 per injection I think, that was at a local travel health clinic. There was a big shortage of the vaccine at one point but not sure if that's still the case.

@HeteronormativeHaybales thank's for the info, I have now also spoken to a nurse on the phone at my local g.p surgery and I think it's worth doing it (the overdraft trembles yet again ).

I booked in for half term and they do it at superdrug for 105 each time so this is where i choose as it was the cheapest out there. They never get the Men B even when they are teenagers so if it protects her for life then I think its a no brainer now.

All the best to everyone who replied

No, my DC1 is 3 and just missed it. DC2 had on the NHS.

We got it privately at Boots. About £110 a jab, and you can use any offers you've got and get points. Highly recommend them.

And I think it's totally worth it, my brother died from men B at the age of 16.

@DesignedForLife so utterly tragic that happened to him and just incomprehensible to imagine what it was like for your family. I will definitely be getting it for my daughter, it's all booked for the half term