How to Get Vaccinated Against Meningitis

The most important action you can take to protect against meningitis is to get vaccinated (immunization).

The routine public health vaccine schedule includes three vaccines that prevent meningitis in children and adults.

Routine vaccine schedule for children in your province or territory

There are different times and options to get vaccinated, depending on your age, previous vaccinations, and other factors. Find out how to protect yourself and your family from the strains of meningitis.

Immunization programs may differ from province to province. If you’re unsure about your vaccination status, or how to get vaccinated, your health care provider can offer additional information.

There are vaccines against meningitis that are not funded through public health programs. We recommend speaking to your health care provider about these options and whether there is a cost involved.

Meningococcal C vaccine in the first year of life.

All jurisdictions offer a meningitis vaccine at one year of age. Some provinces offer the vaccine to infants as well.

Meningitis B vaccine

This vaccine is used to control outbreaks of disease, for people at high risk and other circumstances. In some countries this vaccine is provided to infants.

Quadrivalent Meningococcal vaccine

This vaccine protects against four types of Meningococcal bacteria. It is provided in adolescence in most parts of Canada, and for certain people at high risk. In some places outside of Canada the vaccine is given to young people going to living in residential settings such as college.

If you are interested in obtaining this vaccine speak to your health care provider.

Getting Vaccinated for Meningococcal Disease

Anyone can become infected by meningitis, and there are vaccination programs available for individuals of all ages. Find out which ones could apply to you.

Infants

Provincial and territorial schedules vary, but children should be immunized with a Meningococcal C (Men-C) vaccine at 12 months of age, and may begin immunization earlier.

Children less than five years of age should receive Men-C vaccine, if they were not previously immunized as infants or toddlers. It should also be considered for children five to 11 years of age. Contact your local public health care provider to find out if there is a cost for the Men-C vaccine.

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine can be given to children between two and 18 months of age (it can be given for older children).

A Meningococcal B (Men-B) vaccine is also available for children two months of age and older to protect against serogroup B strains.

Vaccine	Eligibility
Meningococcal C (Men-C)	Can be provided to infants in a series of two doses, one at 2 months, and a second at 12 months. Contact your public health care provider to find out if this is included in routine immunizations for infants.
Meningococcal B (Men-B)	Available to infants over 2 months who have been in close contact with a case of meningococcal B disease.
Pneumococcal conjugate	Available to infants between two and 18 months of age. This is included in routine immunizations for infants.

Either a Meningococcal C (Men-C) or a quadrivalent conjugate meningococcal (ACYW) vaccine, which protects against, is available to adolescents and adults (no funded adult program). One of these is recommended for adolescents, usually at 10-14 years of age as part of regular immunization schedules, even if they were previously vaccinated as an infant or toddler.
Vaccination against B meningococcal (MenB-fHBP) is also available, although it is not currently included in public health vaccination schedules.

High Risk Individuals

Vaccination is available to those who are at high risk of getting meningitis, including those who have had close contact with a known case of meningitis. Close contacts of a case of meningococcal disease may be given an antibiotic to protect them against getting infected including rifampin, ciprofloxacin, or ceftriaxone.

Vaccine	Eligibility
Meningococcal C (Men-C), Meningococcal Quadrivalent Vaccine	Recommended for adolescents, usually at 10-14 years of age. Available to adults if they are at high risk of meningococcal disease (such as those with certain medical conditions and those who have been in close contact with a person with meningococcal disease); or if they did not get a dose of the vaccine on or after their 10th birthday. Recommended individuals with occupational risks, or living or travelling in a high-risk area for meningococcal disease.
Meningococcal B (Men-B)	Available to individuals up to 55 years of age who have been in close contact with a case of meningococcal B disease. Recommended for individuals who are at high risk due to medical conditions, experience occupational risks, or are living or travelling in a high-risk area for meningococcal B disease.

Vaccine

Eligibility

Meningococcal C (Men-C), Meningococcal Quadrivalent Vaccine

Recommended for adolescents, usually at 10-14 years of age.
Available to adults if they are at high risk of meningococcal disease (such as those with certain medical conditions and those who have been in close contact with a person with meningococcal disease); or if they did not get a dose of the vaccine on or after their 10th birthday.
Recommended individuals with occupational risks, or living or travelling in a high-risk area for meningococcal disease.

Meningococcal B (Men-B)

Available to individuals up to 55 years of age who have been in close contact with a case of meningococcal B disease.
Recommended for individuals who are at high risk due to medical conditions, experience occupational risks, or are living or travelling in a high-risk area for meningococcal B disease.

I asked our doctor if there was a vaccine...That vaccine might have saved Michael’s life.

Kathryn Blain, Michael Longo’s mother

Young boy receiving a vaccination from a doctor

Funded Vaccination

Meningococcal C vaccination is available for no cost throughout Canada, and many provinces currently cover the cost of the quadrivalent conjugate meningococcal vaccine as well.

However, no provinces or territories currently cover the cost of the Meningococcal B vaccine, for children or adults, unless they are at high risk of contracting meningococcal disease. If you have questions about the availability and costs associated with vaccination in your province, contact your health care provider or reach out.