Students urged to take up free meningitis jab

STUDENTS are being urged to get the free meningitis jab before starting the academic year in September after an alarming slump in vaccination rates in Plymouth.

-  PUPUL CHATTERJEE and KATIE TIMMS

The sharp fall in vaccinations was reported among 13-14-year-old pupils in the 2021-22 academic year.

Across England, the vaccination rate for this Year 9 cohort was 69.2%, which is down seven% on the previous year, and 19 percentage points below pre-pandemic levels of 88%.

In Plymouth, the vaccination rates were well below the national average. Less than half (45.2%) of Year 9 pupils were vaccinated. That is a sharp fall from 2020-21 when 56.9% of Year 9 pupils were vaccinated. The routine offer of the meningitis vaccine to the Year 9 cohort was given alongside catch-up for the Year 10 cohort in Plymouth.