How do the vaccines work?
Vaccines work by stimulating our own body’s immune system to produce substances (antibodies) in the body to fight disease without us actually becoming infected with the disease.
Vaccines trigger the immune system to produce antibodies as though the body has been infected with it. Antibodies help the body recognise and kill the ‘foreign’ organisms. They then remain in the body to help protect the body against future infections with the same organism.
If the vaccinated person then comes into contact with the disease itself, their own immune system will recognise it and immediately produce the antibodies needed to fight it and protect the disease taking hold.
There are a number of vaccines that protect against many viral and bacterial forms of meningitis and septicaemia. Preventative vaccines that are currently on the national childhood immunisation schedule include:
- Pneumococcal (PCV13) vaccination (protects against invasive disease, pneumonia and acute otitis media caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae)
- MMR vaccination (protects against measles, mumps and rubella)
- MenC vaccination (protects against meningococcal group C meningitis)
- DTaP/IPV/Hib vaccination (protects against five different diseases - Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (or whooping cough), polio (with Inactivated Polio Vaccine) and Haemophilus influenzae type b or Hib)
Vaccination against pneumococcal disease is also available for people 65 years and older.
The MenC vaccination is used in children from 2 months of age, adolescents and adults to help prevent infections caused by bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C. The bacteria can cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections such as meningitis and septicaemia.
Click here to view our interactive wheel, which shows you how and when children of certain ages should be vaccinated.
When should you or your child have the vaccine?
For infants under the age of one year, the MenC vaccine should be given at three and four months of age.
In order to maintain protection, a booster dose should be given between 12 and 13 months of age.
For adults, adolescents and children over the age of 12 months who have not previously been immunised with the MenC vaccination, a single dose of the vaccine is recommended.
Click here to view our interactive wheel, which shows you how and when children of certain ages should be vaccinated.
Do vaccines have any side-effects?
Before any vaccine is given, please inform your doctor or nurse if you or your child has had any previous bad reactions to any vaccination in the past.
Like all medicines, vaccines can cause side-effects, although not everybody gets them. If your child does develop any unusual symptoms after having the vaccination, you should contact your doctor or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.
If you have any questions or need more information about vaccines and vaccination, please consult your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.