Readers call for meningitis vaccination rethink

Readers took to social media to criticise the government’s decision after a story in the Evening Post about Rebecca Smith and Mark Barton, whose five-month-old son Duke die from the disease last year. The story reached thousands of people online with many criticising the government’s stance. Read the full story about Rebecca and Mark’s campaign here

Reader Mark Newman, on Facebook, said: “The government should change their mind. If one of David Cameron’s children needed the Meningitis B vaccine the law would change.”

Another reader Kathleen Thompson called the decision ‘disgusting.’

Reader Chrisi Marshall proposed a novel idea for raising the funds for the jabs by gecalling on elderly MPs to forfeit some benefits they may receive, including the winter heating allowance and free TV licences for over 75s.

She said: “Cut down on stupid expenses to get our NHS out of the mess they have created.”

Last week, the Government rejected calls for the vaccine to be given to children of all ages, saying it would not be cost effective for the NHS and would not represent a good use of NHS resources. The response came after 800,000 people added their names to a petition calling for the Bexsero vaccine to be given to all children aged up to 11.

Parents Rebecca and Mark spoke out to support the petition after their five-month-old son Duke die from the disease last year. They fear further tragedies if immunisation is not rolled out.