You may have already received an email from Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora with the below message about meningococcal vaccines.

The New Zealand School Boards Association would like to reshare the following important information for boarding schools in case you missed it. 

The Meningococcal B (MenB vaccine), and Meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY) vaccines are available for free to rangatahi aged 13-25 years who are entering (or who are in) their first year of close living situations including boarding schools, youth justice facilities, university halls of residence and military barracks.

The Meningoccoal vaccines are free for rangatahi for up to three months before moving in and during their first year in close living situations. Rangitahi will require a single dose of the MenACWY vaccine and two doses of the MenB vaccine given 8 weeks apart. The MenACWY and first dose of MenB vaccines can be given at the same time. 

To get the best available protection against this preventable disease, rangatahi should be fully immunised against Meningococcal disease before moving into the close living facility. 

Whānau can receive their immunisations from many community health providers including many pharmacies. Visit Book a vaccine to find a suitable immunisation site. 

The Meningitis Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand (MFANZ) has offered to support with promotion of the vaccination events providers may be holding at close living student facilities for the meningococcal vaccinations. If you would like to reach out to them to discuss ways they can support, for example attending events to speak to students and whānau about the risks of meningitis please contact Carol White - adminexec@meningitis.org.nz

Key messages and resources

Health New Zealand has prepared some key messages that you can use, and there are social tiles (like the ones below) available in our Dropbox, which we encourage you to use on your own social channels (website/Facebook/Instagram/Twitter) to accompany your message.

Printed collateral can also be ordered for free through the Bluestar portal.

More information is available on the websites of Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora and the Meningitis Foundation.