HC Deb 01 May 2003 vol 404 cc512-3W
Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the take-up of the meningitis C vaccine by targeted groups. [105900]

Ms Blears

[holding answer 1 Apri1 2003]: Information on uptake of routine childhood vaccines are collected through the COVER (define) programme. These data are published on a quarterly basis in the "Communicable Disease Report (CDR) Weekly" and are available at www.phls.org.uk/publications/cdr/index.html

The most recent quarterly uptake figures—October to December 2002—for the meningitis C conjugate vaccine for England at one and two years of age were 90 per cent. and 92 per cent. respectively.

Vaccine coverage in the catch-up campaign by age and school year
Age Birth cohort Approximate date of vaccination Total eligible Coverage (percentage)
<12 months 11 January 1999 to 28 July 1999 January 2000 283,198 80.4
1- < 2 years 11 January 1998 to 10 January 1999 January 2000 526,802 83.8
2–5 years 1 September 1994 to 10 January 1998 March 2000 1,810,884 75.6
School year (age inferred)
1 (5–6) 1 September 1993 to 31 August 1994 September 2000 517,088 86.3
2 (6–7) 1 September 1992 to 31 August 1993 September 2000 525,151 86.7
3 (7–8) I September 1991 to 31 August 1992 September 2000 545,352 87.4
4 (8–9) 1 September 1990 to 31 August 1991 September 2000 552,993 87.6
5 (9–10) 1 September 1989 to 31 August 1990 May 2000 549,518 89.0
6 (10–11) 1 September 1988 to 31 August 1989 May 2000 542,557 88.0
7 (11–12) 1 September 1987 to 31 August 1988 March 2000 556,661 87.9
8 (12–13) 1 September 1986 to 31 August 1987 March 2000 540,878 87.2
9 (13–14) 1 September 1985 to 31 August 1986 March 2000 530,547 85.5
10 (14–15) 1 September 1984 to 31 August 1985 March 2000 519,446 83.0
11 (15–16) 1 September 1983 to 31 August 1984 November 1999 484,751 83.7
12 (16–17) 1 September 1982 to 31 August 1983 November 1999 300,429 70.3
13 (17–18) 1 September 1981 to 31 August 1982 November 1999 265,423 60.3
All school years — — 6,532,229 84.6
1— — — 767,431 43.0
115–17 y/o not in education. Only 32/155 trusts were able to provide vaccine coverage outside of school. It was assumed that this was representative and the number of 15 to 17-year-olds not in education was equal to the ONS population estimate for this age group minus denominator data supplied by health trusts.