From mid-September, young people born between 1 May and 31 December 2004 will receive an invitation for a vaccination against meningococcal disease.

The vaccination rate for vaccines included in the National Immunisation Programme has dropped slightly by about 1 percent.

Meningococcal disease is a very serious infectious disease that can cause meningitis or blood poisoning. Children are immunised against meningococcal serogroup C at 14 months.

Modifications to the National Immunisation Programme have led to fewer cases of whooping cough among children.