Monday, November 1, 1999 Published at 06:33 GMT
Mass meningitis vaccination programme begins
The vaccine could prevent many deaths from the brain disease
The government has officially launched its meningitis vaccination programme, first targeting 15 to 17-year-olds and then babies.
Children around the UK are to become the first in the world to take part in routine vaccinations against the C strain of meningitis.
The mass immunisation programme has also been piloted in Ironville, South Derbyshire, which has been particularly affected by the brain disease.
The new vaccine will initially be targeted at those most at risk:
As more supplies become available children aged one to five will be the next to be vaccinated early next year, followed by children in other age groups.
The priority groups have been agreed by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, the National Meningitis Trust and the Meningitis Research Foundation.
Last year, the meningococcal group C infection affected more than 1,500 people and killed 150 of them, mainly children and young people.
At least one in 10 of those who contracts meningitis C is killed by the disease.
The vaccine has been developed by three companies.
However, parents will have to remain alert for the symptoms of meningitis even when their child has been vaccinated, as there is still no vaccine against Group B meningococcal infection, although these cases tend to be more isolated in the UK.