A coroner wants the Tasmanian Government to offer free meningococcal B strain vaccines for people younger than 21, following the death of a Hobart teenager.He is urging the Government to extend free immunisation to include B vaccineSarah Rose Beltz had only just celebrated her 16th birthday when she contracted meningococcal disease last July.Coroner Simon Cooper released his findings into her death on Tuesday and determined the cause was septic shock.
Mr Cooper said meningococcal immunisations for the A,C, W and Y strains were administered at Miss Beltz's school, St Mary's College in Hobart, on March 27 last year. "Miss Beltz was absent from school that day and thus did not receive that immunisation. Had she, then undoubtedly it would have saved her life," he said."Her father rushed her to Hobart Private Hospital as soon as it was clear that her symptoms were serious," the coroner said.
"Staff at the Hobart Private realised straight away that Sarah should be treated at the Royal Hobart Hospital and she was immediately transferred to that hospital's Department of Emergency Medicine.Free B vaccine 'needs national approach' The Tasmanian Government began its roll-out of free Meningococcal A,C, W and Y vaccines to Tasmanians aged under 21 soon after Sarah's death, but many have criticised the fact the program does not include the B strain vaccine.
vaccines = autism