Meningococcal
Your Pharmacy 777 Pharmacist can administer a Meningococcal vaccine in a private consultation room.
Pharmacists Can Deliver To Both NIP Eligible And Private Patients
If you are unsure if you are eligible for an NIP vaccination, please contact your Pharmacy 777 Pharmacist.
Three Types Of Meningococcal Vaccines
There are three main types of Meningococcal vaccines:
- MenACWY (quadrivalent, protects against serogroups A, C, W, and Y).
- MenB (protects against serogroup B), and
- MenC (protects against serogroup C), - not commonly available as the standalone MenC vaccine was discontinued and largely replaced with the MenACWY vaccine.
These vaccines target different bacterial strains, as meningococcal disease is caused by several serogroups (like B, C, W, Y), and no single vaccine covers all types, requiring different vaccines for comprehensive protection, especially for high-risk individuals.
Meningococcal Vaccine Eligibility
Who can receive a Meningococcal ACWY vaccine from the pharmacy?
Eligible under the NIP in-pharmacy:
- Year 10 (or age equivalent) adolescents from 14 to 16 years who have missed vaccination through their usual School-Based Immunisation Program (SBIP).
- All people, including refugees and humanitarian entrants, less than 20 years of age who have missed their childhood vaccine.
- Adolescents and young adults less than 20 years of age that have missed their childhood vaccinations.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 5 to 19 years if missed at the recommended NIP schedule points.
- All individuals with certain medical conditions (such as people with asplenia, hyposplenia, complement deficiency and treatment with Eculizumab).
Eligible Privately:
- People aged 20 years and over who are either:
- Laboratory workers who frequently handle Neisseria meningitidis,
- Travellers to areas where meningococcal disease is more common or who travel to mass gatherings.
- Adolescents and Young adults (aged 15 to 24 years) who live in close quarters include new military recruits and students living in residential accommodation or are current smokers.
Who can receive a Meningococcal B vaccine from the pharmacy?
Eligible under the NIP in-pharmacy:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 5 to 19 years if missed at the recommended NIP schedule points.
- All individuals with certain medical conditions (such as people with asplenia, hyposplenia, complement deficiency and treatment with Eculizumab).
Eligible Privately:
- Healthy adolescents aged 15-19 years.
- People aged 20 years and over who are Laboratory workers who frequently handle Neisseria meningitidis,
- Adolescents and Young adults (aged 15 to 24 years) who live in close quarters include new military recruits and students living in residential accommodation or are current smokers.
Contact your local Pharmacy 777 to discuss if you are eligible for the Meningococcal ACWY and/or B Vaccine(s).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common side effects of Meningococcal vaccines include:
- irritable, crying, unsettled and generally unhappy
- loss of appetite
- headache (usually in adolescents and adults)
- pain, redness and swelling at injection site
- occasionally an injection-site lump (may last many weeks - no treatment needed)
- mild fever
- fever (especially for meningococcal B vaccine in under 2 year olds).
It is important to give your baby paracetamol to reduce the risk of fever with meningococcal B vaccine. See the Vaccinate to protect your baby against meningococcal B - Opens in new tab brochure for information on how to manage fever following meningococcal B vaccination in under 2 year olds.
Speak with your local Pharmacy 777 Pharmacist to confirm vaccine availability, pricing, and administration fees before your appointment.
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Influenza
At Pharmacy 777 we can provide a quick and convenient Flu Vaccination to protect you from the spread of the influenza virus.
COVID-19
Pharmacy 777 Pharmacists are committed to protecting our community from the spread of the COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccines help to protect our community against Coronavirus by preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19.
Shingles
Pharmacy 777 Pharmacists can administer a Shingles vaccine in a private consultation room.
