The village of Ironville in Derbyshire has had more than its share of heartache in the past two years. In that time, two children in the village have died from the brain disease meningitis, the latest victim being Colin Whitehead (8), who died on Monday. There have been three outbreaks of the disease in two years.
Doctors and health officials are baffled as to why Ironville should have suffered so many cases of the disease and have carried out extensive tests to establish the source but to no avail. And so yesterday, to prevent further cases, hundreds of children in Ironville became the first in the world to be given the new meningitis vaccine, Group C Conjugate Meningococcal Vaccine, which was due to be launched by the National Health Service (NHS) in October.
Parents arriving at the Ironville and Codnor Park School with their children, where the vaccination programme is being carried out, said they were terrified about the latest outbreak. "Obviously, we are really hoping that this new vaccine will stop the disease," said Ms Maria Leeke. "Every time my son even has a cough, I panic and we take him to the doctor - it is very frightening."
Her son, Christopher (10), said he was scared that he might contract the disease. "I am scared about the injection as well but more scared about getting sick and dying."
The vaccination programme began last Friday when about 1,600 people in the village were given a precautionary dose of antibiotics. A total of 292 children, aged between one and 11, were given the new vaccine.
Ms Carol Singleton, deputy director of the Southern Derbyshire Health Authority, said she was confident the new vaccine would prevent a repeat outbreak. "From the trials we have seen that this is a very effective vaccine and I am confident that it will stop it. I know we have said that before, but I am a lot more confident this time."
The full launch of the new vaccine will go ahead as planned in October with up to 15 million children and babies receiving the vaccine in the first year.