A MUM who saw both her kids battle meningitis B says a vaccine for the deadly disease should be given to everybody “sooner rather than later”.
Denise and James Brady suffered every parent’s worst nightmare, not once, but twice, when their two children were struck down with the illness as babies.
A vaccine for Meningitis B is currently available free to babies born after October 2016.
Parents of kids born before then have to pay up to €300 to have their child vaccinated against the B strain.
Thousands have signed an online petition calling on Health Minister Simon Harris to implement a catch-up programme for all kids and teenagers in light of 11 cases of the disease in recent weeks.
The Bradys know how vital it is, having experienced the deadly disease twice.
In October 2004, the Meath couple, then parents of one-month premature baby Ryan, were horrified when their “worst fears of meningoccal meningitis” were confirmed.
Denise said: “A priest came to give him the last rites.
“Thankfully, his recovery kicked in on day three.”
Six and a half years later, disaster struck again when ten-week-old daughter Sarah Ann was also diagnosed — but luckily like Ryan she made a full recovery too.
Denise said: “Hopefully the vaccine will be provided . . . sooner rather than later.”
The HSE revealed this week that three people had died with a total of 11 cases recorded, alerting health chiefs to a concerning increase of cases from last year.
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People of all age groups are susceptible to the disease and two different strain types were noted in the three casualties.
Meningitis – a serious illness involving inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord – can be caused by a variety of germs, mainly bacterial.
The spread of meningococcal from person to person is very unusual, especially outside of close household contact.