How Long Does Meningitis Vaccine Pain Last

Most Health Insurance Plans Pay For Menb Vaccination For Teens And Young Adults

Most health plans must cover CDC-recommended vaccines with no out-of-pocket costs if an in-network healthcare provider administers the vaccine. Check with your insurance provider for details on whether there is any cost to you for this vaccine.

The Vaccines for Children, or VFC, program provides vaccines for children 18 years old and younger who are

• Not insured
• Medicaid-eligible
• American Indian or Alaska Native

Parents can find a VFC provider by contacting their local health department. VFC will cover the cost of MenB vaccination for those

• 16 through 18 years old
• 10 through 18 years old at increased risk due to a medical condition
• 10 through 18 years old identified as being at increased risk due to a serogroup B meningococcal disease outbreak

Before Taking This Medicine

You may not be able to receive Menactra if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to a meningococcal, diphtheria, or tetanus vaccine.

Menactra may need to be postponed or not given at all if you have:

• a severe illness with a fever or any type of infection

• a weak immune system caused by disease or by using certain medicine

• a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome or

• a history of premature birth.

You can still receive a vaccine if you’ve a minor cold.

Your doctor should determine whether you need Menactra during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Who Should Not Be Immunised

• There are very few people who cannot be given meningococcal vaccines.
• Immunisation should be postponed if a child has a high temperature or serious infection. Minor infections such as coughs, colds and snuffles are no reason to postpone immunisation.
• The vaccine should not be given if there has been a severe reaction to a previous dose of vaccine . Also, it should not be given if a person is known to have a severe allergy to any of the ingredients in the vaccine.
• The vaccines are safe if you are breastfeeding.

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Is Viral Meningitis Contagious

Yes, but its unlikely to spread. While the viruses that cause the disease are generally easily passed between people, viral meningitis itself is not very easily passed between people. When it is, it happens mostly between people who are in regular, close contact.

Enteroviruses are present in the feces, mucus, and saliva of infected people, and are transmitted through direct contact with an infected person or surface.

In temperate climates, these viruses spread most during summer and autumn, and infection rates are high all year long in tropical and subtropical climates.

The herpes simplex virus can be passed to other people via contact with an infected area of skin during an outbreak .

Other meningitis-causing viruses are spread in different ways.

For instance, mumps, measles, and influenza are easily spread between the unvaccinated through coughing and sneezing, while HIV is spread through unprotected sex and sharing drug needles .

How Is Menactra Given

Menactra is given as an injection into a muscle.

Menactra is recommended if:

• you’ve been exposed to an outbreak of meningococcal disease

• you are in the military

• you work in a laboratory and are exposed to meningococcal bacteria

• you live in a dormitory or other group housing

• you live in or travel to an area where meningococcal disease is common

• you have a medical problem affecting your spleen, or your spleen has been removed

• you use a medicine called eculizumab or ravulizumab or

• you have an immune system disorder called “complement component deficiency.”

Menactra is usually given only once to adults and children 2 years and older. You may need a booster dose if you have a high risk of meningococcal infection and it has been at least 4 years since you last received this vaccine. Younger children will need to receive 2 doses.

Your booster schedule may be different. Follow the guidelines provided by your doctor or local health department.

Be sure to receive all recommended doses of Menactra or you may not be fully protected against disease.

There are other types of meningococcal vaccine available. When you receive a booster dose, make sure you are receiving a vaccine for meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, or Y and not for serogroup B.

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How Long Does The Meningitis Vaccine Last

Available data suggests that protection from meningococcal conjugate decreases in many teens within five years. Getting a booster, as determined by your health care provider, may be critical in maintaining protection when most at risk for meningococcal disease.

Some adolescents and young adults may also receive a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine. The preferred age for receipt is 16 through 18 years so adolescents have protection during the ages of increased risk.2

Persons With Chronic Diseases

Asplenia

Two doses of Men-C-ACYW vaccine are recommended for persons with anatomic or functional asplenia, including sickle cell disease. When elective splenectomy is planned, all recommended vaccines should ideally be completed at least 2 weeks before surgery if only one dose can be given before surgery, the second dose should be given 8 weeks after the first dose, with a minimum interval of 4 weeks. In the case of an emergency splenectomy, two doses of vaccine should ideally be given beginning 2 weeks after surgery but can be given earlier, before discharge, if the person might not return for vaccination after discharge. Persons one year of age and older with asplenia who have not received Men-C-ACYW vaccine should receive two doses administered 8 weeks apart, with a minimum interval of 4 weeks. In addition, 4CMenB or MenB-fHBP vaccine should be offered. Periodic booster doses with Men-C-ACYW vaccine are also recommended.

Refer to Table 1 for vaccination recommendations of high risk individuals due to underlying conditions. Refer to Booster doses and re-immunization for additional information and Immunization of Persons with Chronic Diseases in Part 3 for additional general information.

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Acwy Vaccination Is Free For Some People

In Victoria, immunisation against meningococcal serogroups A, C, W and Y is available for free as part of the National Immunisation Program schedule for:

• children aged 12 months
• children from 13 months to under 20 years of age, who did not have their meningococcal C vaccine at 12 months
• young people in Year 10 of secondary school
• young people not in secondary school, aged 15 to 19 years.

Young people in the 15 to 19 years age group are more likely to spread the disease to others. One in five people in this age group carry the bacteria that cause meningococcal disease. Immunisation experts have advised that immunising this age group can prevent spread to other age groups and protect the wider community.

Eligible young people who are away from school on the day the vaccine was given, or who do not attend secondary school, can attend either a local government community immunisation session, or a general practitioner to receive the free meningococcal ACWY vaccine. The GP may charge a consultation fee.

Contact your local government to find out when and where immunisation sessions are held.

• People with specified medical risk conditions can also receive free meningococcal ACWY vaccine. This includes people with:
• a poorly functioning spleen or no spleen, including sickle cell disease or other haemoglobinopathies
• defects in, or a deficiency of, a complement component, including factor H, factor D or properdin deficiency
• current or future treatment with eculizumab .

Your Child Can Get Menacwy And Menb Vaccines At The Same Time

Your childs doctor can give both types of meningococcal vaccines during the same visit, but preferably in different arms. If you choose for your child to get a MenB vaccine, the preferred timing is between 16 and 18 years old. So its possible your child will get this vaccine and the MenACWY booster dose at the same visit.

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Who Should Not Get Vaccinated Or Should Wait

• Anyone who has ever had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of MCV4 or MPSV4 vaccine or diphtheria vaccine
• Anyone who has a severe allergy to any vaccine component
• Anyone who is moderately or severely ill at the time the shot is scheduled should wait until they recover before receiving the vaccine
• For more information on additional warnings and precautions visit

You Are Pregnant Or Breastfeeding

• Pregnant women who are at increased risk for serogroup A, C, W, or Y meningococcal disease may get MenACWY vaccines.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women who are at increased risk for serogroup B meningococcal disease may get MenB vaccines. However, they should talk with a doctor to decide if the benefits of getting the vaccine outweigh the risks.

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Who Should Get The Meningococcal Vaccine

• This vaccine is provided free to infants as part of their routine immunizations. The vaccine is given as a series of two doses. The first is given at 2 months of age, and the second at 12 months.
• This vaccine is also free for people:
• Born before 2002, who are 24 years of age and under who did not get a dose of vaccine on or after their 10th birthday.
• Who have been in close contact with someone with meningococcal type C disease.

Could One Type Of Vaccine Last Longer Than Another

No one knows for sure whether one vaccine will last longer than another. Instead, one question to ask might be whether Pfizer and Modernas mRNA vaccines, which had an especially robust response, also have potential to be the longest lasting, Dr. Meyer says.

The two mRNA vaccines use a relatively new technology that delivers a tiny piece of genetic code from the SARS CoV-2 virus into the body to provide instructions for making copies of spike proteins that will stimulate an immune response. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine takes a more traditional approach that involves an inactive adenovirus .

The mRNA vaccines are a novel tool that hasnt been widely rolled out with any other virus, and so far in clinical trials they have had a much more robust immune response, Dr. Meyer says. Whatever the answer to the question of which will last the longest, the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines work similarly, so it seems likely that they will have a similar impact on immunity, she says.

Its also possible that the length of immunity is somewhat dependent on the patient, Dr. Meyer adds. While more research is needed, there could be variations in immune responses from person to person based on such factors as age, medical conditions, and medications they may be taking. Overall, though, the mRNA vaccines appear to be so effective that they level the playing field in terms of achieving protection from infection, says Dr. Meyer.

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How Can You Prevent Viral Meningitis

Vaccines can prevent some types of viral meningitis, though this doesn’t include meningitis caused by enteroviruses.

In this case, avoiding close contact with those with enteroviruses and touching your face with unwashed hands can help minimize your chances.

If you’re already infected, you can prevent the spread of the virus by frequently washing your hands, disinfecting surfaces, staying away from people, and coughing and sneezing into a cloth or tissue .

Staying indoors at twilight, and using spray and wearing long sleeves and long pants, will help decrease exposure to mosquito bites, which lead to West Nile and other mosquito-borne viruses.

Additional reporting by Carlene Bauer.

Menacwy Vaccines Are Safe However As With Any Vaccine Side Effects Can Occur

About half of the people who get a MenACWY vaccine have mild problems following vaccination, such as:

• Redness where the shot was given
• Soreness where the shot was given
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Feeling tired

If they occur, these reactions usually get better on their own within 1 to 2 days. Serious reactions are possible, but rare.

CDC continually monitors the safety of all vaccines, including MenACWY vaccines. For more information, view the Meningococcal ACWY Vaccine Information Statement.

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Book A Pharmacy Appointment Today

Need a meningitis vaccination? Book a consultation today.

There are three types of vaccine against meningococcal infection:

• One type of vaccine protects against group C only – the MenC vaccine.
• One type of vaccine called the MenACWY vaccine protects against groups A, C, W and Y.
• One type of vaccine protects against group B only – the MenB vaccine .

The vaccine stimulates your immune system to protect you against meningococcal infection should you become infected with the germs .

Are There Any Side

Most people have no side-effects. A mild high temperature may develop for a short time after baby injections. Some babies cry more and become irritable for a short time after the injection. Occasionally they may be sick or have diarrhoea. Slight swelling, pain and redness at the injection site may occur. Headache and muscle aches for a short time can occur in some older children.

None of the above side-effects is serious, and they soon settle. It is a good idea to give your baby a single dose of liquid infant paracetamol at the time of their MenB vaccine or soon after, as a high temperature is a little more common after this vaccine. If necessary, you can give paracetamol or ibuprofen to children to ease pain as well as fever following immunisation. Serious reactions are rare.

Uncommon side-effects, described in up to 1 in 100 people, are high fever, seizures , vomiting dry skin, itchy rash, skin rash, and paleness .

Rare side-effects include Kawasaki syndrome .

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Persons New To Canada

Health care providers who see persons newly arrived in Canada should review the immunization status and update immunization for these individuals. Review of meningococcal vaccination status is particularly important for persons from areas of the world where sickle cell disease is present as persons with sickle cell disease are at risk of serious meningococcal infections. In many countries outside of Canada, conjugate meningococcal vaccines are in limited use. Information on vaccination schedules in other countries can be found on the World Health Organization website. Refer to Immunization of Persons New to Canada in Part 3 for additional general information.

I Have Heard That There Is Another Menb Vaccine

Another MenB vaccine, called Trumenba, has recently been licenced for use in Europe and the UK. This vaccine has been developed by Pfizer and is licenced for use in adults and children over the age of 10. This vaccine is available through private providers.

Contact our Helpline on 0808 80 10 388 or email

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Common And Local Adverse Events

Conjugate meningococcal vaccines

Men-C-ACYW vaccines

Injection site reactions occur in up to 59% of vaccinees. Fever is reported in up to 5% of recipients and systemic reactions, such as headache and malaise, are reported in up to 60% of recipients.

Men-C-C vaccines

Mild reactions, including injection site reactions , occur in up to 50% of vaccine recipients. Irritability occurs in up to 80% of infants and fever in up to 9% when other vaccines were administered. Headaches and malaise occur in up to 10% of older children and adults. These reactions last no more than a few days.

Serogroup B Meningococcal vaccines

4CMenB vaccine

Solicited local and systemic reactions have been commonly reported in clinical trials and include injection site tenderness, induration, sleepiness and irritability. Higher rates of fever have been observed with simultaneous administration of 4CMenB vaccine and routine infant vaccines therefore, routine prophylactic administration of acetaminophen or separating 4CMenB vaccination from routine vaccination schedule has been proposed for preventing fever in infants and children up to three years of age.

MenB-fHBP vaccine

Solicited local and systemic reactions have been commonly reported in clinical trials and include injection site tenderness, induration and irritability.

How Is The Vaccine Given

All 11 to 12 year-olds should be vaccinated with a meningococcal conjugate vaccine with a booster dose recommended at age 16 years old.

Teenagers and adults between the ages of 16 and 23 years old may be vaccinated with serogroup B meningococcal vaccine , preferably at age 16 or 18 years old.

In addition, certain children and adults should get a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine if they have a rare disorder , taking a medication called Soliris®, damaged or missing spleen, or are otherwise at risk.

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Preteens And Teens Are At Increased Risk For Meningococcal Disease An Uncommon But Serious Illness

Meningococcal disease can be devastating and oftenand unexpectedlystrikes otherwise healthy people. Although meningococcal disease is uncommon, teens and young adults 16 through 23 years old are at increased risk. Meningococcal bacteria can cause severe, even deadly, infections like

• Meningitis
• Bacteremia or septicemia

About 1 in 5 people who survive their meningococcal infection have permanent disabilities.

Cdc Does Not Routinely Recommend A Menb Vaccine For All Teens And Young Adults However All Teens May Get Vaccinated Preferably At 16 To 18 Years Old

Serogroup B meningococcal disease is relatively rare. Outbreaks have occurred at several U.S. colleges during the past decade. CDCs current recommendation gives people access to MenB vaccines to help prevent this uncommon, but serious illness. However, doctors and parents should discuss the risk of the disease and weigh the risks and benefits of vaccination. Available data suggest these vaccines are safe and provide protection, but that protection decreases fairly quickly after vaccination.

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Guidance On Reporting Adverse Events Following Immunization

To ensure the ongoing safety of vaccines in Canada, reporting of AEFIs by vaccine providers and other clinicians is critical, and in some jurisdictions, reporting is mandatory under the law.

Vaccine providers are asked to report AEFIs, through local public health officials, and to check for specific AEFI reporting requirements in their province or territory. In general, any serious or unexpected adverse event felt to be temporally related to vaccination should be reported.

For additional information about AEFI reporting, please refer to Adverse events following immunization. For general vaccine safety information, refer to Vaccine safety and pharmacovigilance in Part 2.