The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7237 p255
22 February 2003

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DoH: Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (more)

Hib booster campaign planned

All children aged between six months and four years are to be offered a booster dose of Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) vaccine, the Department of Health has announced.

The move follows advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and is in response to a small increase in the number of reported cases of Haemophilus influenzae type b disease. The "catch-up" campaign is intended to reverse the reported increase and will involve a booster dose of Hib vaccine offered to all children over the age of six months and less than four years on 1 April 2003. The Department expects the campaign to start this spring and to last four months.

Haemophilus influenzae type b can cause a number of serious illnesses, including meningitis, in children.