Baby jab's a Shaw thing

Nov 3 2006 By Alison Dayani, Birmingham Mail

CELEBRITY mum Suzanne Shaw called on Birmingham parents to get their tots protected against killer disease meningitis with a brand new jab.

The former Hear'Say star and ex-girlfriend of Darren Day has already had their son, Corey, injected with the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, also called PCV.

She was a VIP guest at Wake Green Surgery, in Wake Green Road, Moseley, which has vaccinated 23 babies since the jab was introduced in September.

Suzanne urged other parents to follow suit as part of a campaign with the Meningitis Research Foundation.

"I have a child myself who is almost two and he had the vaccine two weeks ago," said the 25-year-old singer. "Meningitis is a really horrible disease and something every mother worries about over their child. This vaccine helps prevent it and gives peace of mind."

The injection was introduced to the routine childhood immunisation programme in September and will protect children against deadly pneumococcal diseases, including meningitis, blood poisoning and pneumonia

Every baby will be offered the vaccine at two, four and 13 months, with all children under two also having the injection in a catch-up programme over the next year.

Adrian Robson, of Meningitis Research Foundation, said: "Meningitis is a disease that strikes fear in the hearts of parents. The charity battled for so long to get this injection introduced and we want to make sure they realise its benefit.

"Around 50 children in the UK die every year from pneumococcal disease."

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