Report by MHARI KELLY

THOUSANDS of school children are to be offered protection from a deadly strain of meningitis when a new vaccination programme starts this month.

Letters will be sent out to parents across Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich within the next few weeks inviting them to have their children immunised at school.

The massive inoculation programme has been set up because of an increase in meningococcal group C infection.

In January, a 20-month-old Winsford child contracted the killer brain disease and last November a nine-year-old boy from High Street Primary School, Winsford, was also struck down by septicaemia.

Thankfully, both children recovered but doctors are warning that some cases can be fatal.

Although there will be a greater protection against meningitis C infection as a result of inoculations, Dr Paula McDonald, a consultant in communicable disease control, has stressed that parents and youngsters still need to be vigilant for signs of the disease.

"The new meningitis C immunisation campaign, even when providing full cover, will not bring an end to people suffering from meningitis and septicaemia and in some cases dying from it, but it will make a major difference," said Dr McDonald.

"Sadly though, the development of a vaccine to counter group B meningococcal infection is still some years away. This means that group B will still continue to circulate."

Providing the suppliers' timetables go smoothly, the new immunisation programme should start early this month and expand as rapidly as the manufacturers can supply more vaccine.

High risk people - young people aged 15, 16 and 17 and babies at two, three and four months - are to be targeted first and the second phase will cover all other children between aged one and 15.

But Dr McDonald has asked parents to be patient because the vaccination programme will be staggered over a number of months to cover the various age groups.

"This does not mean that parents will have to bring children of different ages to be vaccinated on separate occasions," said Dr McDonald. "We realise that this is inconvenient but we would ask for their understanding," she added.

Stocks of the new vaccine were not large enough to cover young people going to colleges and universities for the first time this year.

However, the existing vaccine is available to people who request it and they will have access to the new vaccine at a later date.

Dr McDonald described the early warning signs of meningitis.

She said: "Spotting the signs could save a life if someone becomes infected. In young children, the disease rapidly progresses from a flu-like illness to fever, irritability, restlessness, a high-pitched cry, vomiting and refusing feeds.

"In older people a severe headache, dislike of bright lights, drowsiness or confusion and stiffness of the neck are warning signs to watch out for."

In all cases, red or purple spots that do not fade when pressed can indicate blood poisoning. If it is not treated rapidly, meningococcal infection, especially blood poisoning, can progress quickly to shock, collapse, coma and death.

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