“Slow Response to Free Vaccine”

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In South Australia, a vaccine against the C strain of meningococcal disease is available free of charge to children between one and five years and 15 to 19 years of age. However, Health Minister Lea Stevens note that only 27 percent of the younger children have been vaccinated since January, as have 80 percent of the teenagers who are still in school. The B strain of meningococcal disease was most prevalent in South Australia last year, accounting for 23 out of 31 cases; however, there is no vaccine against that strain, and Stevens noted that getting vaccinated against the C strain helps reduce some of the risks of meningococcal disease.

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