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05/02/2015
NI Pupils Given Wrong Vaccination
A number of pupils at Omagh Academy have been given a wrong vaccine, it has been confirmed.
In a statement, the Western Health Trust admitted that a number of Year 11 pupils at the school were affected by the mistake earlier this month. On 12 January, 95 pupils received a vaccine which is actually intended for pre-school children rather than young people.
The school was notified of the error on 26 January, and said all parents or guardians of the pupils involved have also been notified of the situation and given advice.
The wrong vaccination may have caused pupils to suffer reactions, such as redness, swelling or soreness, and a temperature, but the Western Trust insisted that any adverse effects would only last for the first two or three days and would not be serious or long-lasting.
The statement continued: "The vaccine given to the pupils protects against pertussis (whooping cough), but the vaccine the pupils should have been administered does not. This will not do any harm at all.
"In this country, we don't normally vaccinate teenagers against whooping cough because it isn't usually a serious disease in this age group. However, it is perfectly safe to give it to teenagers and some other countries do."
The Trust added that it apologised "unreservedly" for the error, saying it should not have occurred. An investigation now underway.
(JP)
In a statement, the Western Health Trust admitted that a number of Year 11 pupils at the school were affected by the mistake earlier this month. On 12 January, 95 pupils received a vaccine which is actually intended for pre-school children rather than young people.
The school was notified of the error on 26 January, and said all parents or guardians of the pupils involved have also been notified of the situation and given advice.
The wrong vaccination may have caused pupils to suffer reactions, such as redness, swelling or soreness, and a temperature, but the Western Trust insisted that any adverse effects would only last for the first two or three days and would not be serious or long-lasting.
The statement continued: "The vaccine given to the pupils protects against pertussis (whooping cough), but the vaccine the pupils should have been administered does not. This will not do any harm at all.
"In this country, we don't normally vaccinate teenagers against whooping cough because it isn't usually a serious disease in this age group. However, it is perfectly safe to give it to teenagers and some other countries do."
The Trust added that it apologised "unreservedly" for the error, saying it should not have occurred. An investigation now underway.
(JP)
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