- The Miles Labor Government is offering free meningococcal B vaccination to nearly half a million children and adolescents, thanks to a $90 million investment.
- The free vaccines have been progressively rolled out over the past few weeks with the full program now available to all eligible infants and adolescents.
- Year 10 students are among the first to be vaccinated through the scheduled School Immunisation Program.
The Miles Labor Government is investing $90 million over three years to rollout free potentially lifesaving meningococcal B (MenB) vaccines for infants, children and adolescents.
Last year, Queensland recorded 36 cases of meningococcal B disease and two cases have been recorded this year to date.
This serious infection can lead to complications from invasive meningococcal disease which can cause significant illness, disability, and death.
That's why the Queensland Labor Government will deliver about 450,000 free MenB vaccines.
Distribution of these vaccines is underway to vaccination providers to manage the roll out of the new program.
Year 10 students are among the first to receive the vaccine through scheduled Queensland School Immunisation Program visits.
Browns Plains State High School is one of the first schools in the state to provide students with the vaccine.
All infants and children under two, and adolescents aged 15 to 19, can now access the vaccine, in line with the Queensland Government's commitment to implement the program in the first quarter of 2024.
This builds upon the existing program offering the meningococcal ACWY vaccine, providing even broader protection.
The state-funded MenB program will be delivered through registered vaccination service providers including general practitioners, community vaccination clinics, pharmacies, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services.
