Meningitis Vaccine in Toronto

Meningococcal Vaccines

What is meningococcal disease?

Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial illness affecting the spinal cord and brain and can also cause blood infections.

Antibiotics can treat meningococcal infections, however, early diagnosis is often difficult and the disease is rapidly progressive with a resulting death rate of 20% and many survivors permanently brain damaged.

Meningococcal vaccine

Meningococcal vaccine can prevent four serious types of meningococcal disease (types A,C,Y,W-135) and protect about 90% of people who get the vaccine. The duration of protection lasts at least 3 years. There are two brand name vaccines (Menactra and Menveo) available in Ontario. Both Meningitis vaccines provide protection for Meningitis types A,C,Y and W-135.

Who should get the vaccine?

Children age two and over should get the vaccine that covers all 4 types of Meningitis. Children under the age of two can receive Type C Meningitis vaccine.

Any traveller aged two and over traveling to an endemic area should consider vaccination.

In order to obtain a visa to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages, travelers must receive Meningitis vaccine within 3 years prior to travel.

What are the risks of the vaccine?

Some mild reactions are redness and soreness at the site where the injection was given. A small percentage of people can get a fever for 1-3 days.

To get your Meningitis vaccine call the GTA Travel Clinic and Vaccination Centre at 905 303 1900. We cover the GTA Toronto, Richmond Hill and Woodbridge areas for Meningitis A,C,Y,W-135 Vaccine

Please note: The information in this document is provided for general information purposes only. Nothing takes the place of speaking with a travel doctor. This information and your receipt thereof is not intended to be, nor shall be deemed to be, informed consent by you to any medical care or treatment whatsoever. Please consult our doctors at the GTA Travel Clinic and Vaccination Centre for a proper medical assessment.

Please note that the vaccine is not a benefit of O.H.I.P. (except for one dose given in Grade 7)

If you have private health insurance through work or school you may be covered for vaccines. With your payment we will provide you with an invoice (with the unique Drug Identification Number for each vaccine) so you can claim your expenses back from your insurance company.

Insurance companies will require Drug Identification Numbers for each vaccine in order to reimburse you.

Click here to find the names and phone numbers of major Insurance Companies.