Weak TB jab puts 30,000 children at risk

PARENTS’ confidence in the State’s vaccination policy hit a new low yesterday after it emerged that around 30,000 children received an ineffective jab to protect against TB.

This follows a series of blunders which have seen children receive out-of-date vaccines and polio jabs linked to CJD, while fears persist over the safety of the three-in-one MMR vaccine. Health authorities yesterday said a BCG vaccine given mostly to infants over a two-year period was not strong enough, placing them at risk of contracting tuberculosis.

The Irish Medicines Board said there was no cause for alarm and all parents would be contacted by health boards to offer follow-up tests or revaccination.