Confronting ad campaign shows the reality of fatal meningococcal disease

A CONFRONTING ad campaign showing the “reality of fatal meningococcal disease” is being aired on TV to remind Tasmanians that the free ACWY vaccine could save their lives

A confronting ad campaign showing the “reality of fatal meningococcal disease” is being aired on TV to remind Tasmanians that the free ACWY vaccine could save their lives. Picture: SUPPLIED

A CONFRONTING ad campaign showing the “reality of fatal meningococcal disease” is being aired on TV to remind Tasmanians that the free ACWY vaccine could save their lives.

More than 90,000 people aged between six weeks and 21 years have received the jab, but an estimated 40,000 eligible Tasmanians have not yet taken up the offer.

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The advertisement, which will be aired on television networks statewide from Sunday night, shows a group of teenagers sitting in a circle playing with a ball when they’re delivered the shocking news that their friend Lucy has died from meningococcal W disease.

“It’s Lucy. I just spoke to her mum. Lucy is dead,” one of the boys says.

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The emotional video was first rolled out on social media in February to target 15 to 19 years olds and was viewed more than 160,000 times on YouTube.

Public Health director Dr Mark Veitch told the Sunday Tasmanian he hoped relaunching the campaign would drive the remaining eligible Tasmanians to get the “potentially lifesaving” vaccine.

“We understand that the ad and its message will be confronting for some people,” he said.

“It is an accurate depiction of the worst of meningococcal disease. The disease can progress extremely rapidly to death.

A still from the new meningococcal vaccination campaign from public health services set to air on Tasmanian TV on Sunday night. Picture: SUPPLIED

“We want to help Tasmanian families avoid this awful experience. In 2018 so far, there have been five cases of meningococcal W disease, one of Y, and four of B.

“We want the community to understand that we are doing everything we can to stop young people spreading, catching, and sometimes dying from this vaccine-preventable disease.

“The job isn’t done. If you know someone who is aged between six weeks and 21 years — born after 1 August 1997 — make sure they’ve got their vaccine.”

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Dr Vietch said 94 per cent of 15 year olds and 84 per cent of 16 year olds had been immunised, but the vaccination rate dropped for older teens and young adults — with fewer than than one in three 20 year olds protected.

The free meningococcal ACWY vaccine is available from GPs, some council clinics, and anyone older than 10 can get it free from authorised pharmacists.