Dr Kerryn Phelps, Health Editor, with Tracey Grimshaw, Channel Nine, 'Today'

This comes at a time when the Commonwealth is moving to approve mass vaccinations for the deadly disease. But there's also a worldwide shortage of the vaccine. To tell us more, we're joined now by Today health editor, Dr Kerryn Phelps.

Kerryn, good morning.

PHELPS: Good morning, Tracey.

GRIMSHAW: Why is there a shortage of this vaccine? Why wouldn't the manufacturers just pump up the volume?

PHELPS: Well, I'm sure they're working on it but the vaccine is on the immunisation schedule in the UK and, since it's been on the schedule since 1999, there's obviously been a great demand for it. And there has been a worldwide shortage for some time. We haven't been able to get the newer vaccine in Australia for quite some months now.

GRIMSHAW: So who should take priority for vaccinations right now?

PHELPS: Well, once the supply becomes available, I think we'll be looking at the higher risk groups and that will obviously be ultimately a government decision - who gets the vaccination free of charge? Because if you have to pay for it yourself, it's about $200 for the course.

The people who would be first in line would be the people most at risk and they're going to be the children under four and they're going to be the late teens, early adult age groups. Those are the two big risk groups.

GRIMSHAW: Why are they such high risk groups, and why shouldn't the rest of us consider being vaccinated?

PHELPS: Well, you can get it at any age and that's, I guess, the really scary thing about meningococcal. But if you're talking about the higher risk groups, it's because, I suppose, children are more likely to be touching, putting their fingers in each other's noses, coughing on each other. You'd be more likely to get with older teens and young adults, kissing, sharing cups and things like that, sharing drinks.

The childhood vaccination program for young babies is obviously well underway in Australia and the question is looking at putting the meningococcal vaccine into that regular vaccination program. The matter is really to decide who is going to get it first.

GRIMSHAW: How long does the vaccine last? And is it - when you mentioned a course, how many injections is it, over what period of time, and is it lifetime immunity or do you have to have it again?

PHELPS: Well, the newer vaccine that we can't get hold of at the moment is a three injection course for babies and that can start at around six weeks to two months and then with a month between each vaccine. Over the age of 12 months, it's one shot and that usually does the trick and that should last around 20 years.

GRIMSHAW: Okay, so that should get you over the hump, I guess?

PHELPS: That should. The other vaccine that is available which is the one that will cover A, C, W and Y strains, but not all of them, is short-lasting. It can't be given to children under two so it has limited usefulness, really. It's quite good for people who are travelling to countries where meningococcal disease is endemic or in epidemic numbers, and it's quite good for containing outbreaks where you know the strain is going to respond to this vaccine. But, otherwise, we need to really look at public health measures where there is an outbreak.

GRIMSHAW: Just a final question, not on the meningococcal matter this morning. Sydney's Daily Telegraph is reporting that children are missing out on Singulair, an asthma drug, because of Government funding issues. How vital is this drug?

PHELPS: Well it's one of the range of choices and certainly one of the newer and better medications for asthma in children. And it has been approved for listing but the funding hasn't come through. And when the last Federal Budget was announced, the medical profession did express concerns that something like $2 billion was being cut from the PBS over the next four years and some people are going to be missing out on medications. And I think it's very important that the government does listen to the medical profession about what can be done if there needs to be savings with the PBS. How it can be done so that the priorities are right.

GRIMSHAW: Okay, all right, thanks for your time.

LEIBMANN: Dr Kerryn Phelps.

PHELPS: Thank you.

Ends