Maureen Ellson from Dundonald lost her two-year-old son David to meningococcal septicaemia in 2002. David attended nursery on a Thursday and appeared healthy before going to bed. He woke overnight with a sore leg and thirst, then vomited. The next morning his lips turned blue. The family took him to Ulster Hospital where staff treated him for meningitis and transferred him to the Royal Victoria Hospital. He died early Saturday morning.

Ellson consulted a doctor later who stated a vaccination could have saved David's life. Northern Ireland added the MenB vaccine to its childhood immunisation programme on 1 May 2015. The vaccine protects against meningococcal B disease, the most common type causing meningitis and sepsis. Infants receive it at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and after their first birthday, with eligibility up to age two.

Geraldine Mallon, Immunisation Project Operations Manager at the Public Health Agency, stated all children in Northern Ireland qualify for the free MenB vaccine. She noted vaccines prevent serious diseases from returning. Northern Ireland recorded measles cases in 2024 and 2025, raising risks for unvaccinated children.

Mallon warned diseases like polio and diphtheria could re-emerge if vaccination rates drop. The agency recommends following the routine childhood immunisation schedule. Parents can check records in their child's red book or contact a health visitor or GP to book missed doses.