'Don't panic over lack of meningitis vaccine'
PARENTS should not panic over the shortage of the meningitis B vaccine, the British Medical Association has said.
Health and Social Services has stocks for its programme of vaccinating newborns, but both the Medical Specialist Group and GP practices have run out.
BMA spokesman Dr Brian Parkin, who urged calm, said there were supply difficulties in Guernsey and the UK which could take months to ease.
However, it was not unusual for such difficulties to occur when something new was introduced.
'Cases of meningitis, although devastating, are very few and far between,' he said.
'It is a shame these things aren't immediately available but 10 years ago no one thought about it and there is not a big risk or an increased risk.
'Meningitis B is a sporadic and occasional disease, it doesn't usually occur in outbreaks.'
The States-funded scheme for babies began in January.
HSSD medical officer of health Dr Stephen Bridgman said its programme was only for babies as the highest risk from meningitis B was during the first year of life.
