SCHOOL nurses in Trafford are organising additional tuberculosis vaccinations for those children who previously missed out.
The move follows the recent outbreaks across the country which has caused concern among many parents.
The vaccination programme, organised by Salford and Trafford Health Authority, will offer the vaccine to Year 11 pupils this year, Years 9 and 10 next year and Years 8 and 9 the year after.
Dr Rosemary McGann, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control at Salford and Trafford Health Authority, said: "Every year there are around 25 cases of TB diagnosis in Trafford residents and despite the increase in TB in other parts of the UK, these figures have stayed remarkably constant over recent years."
TB is an infection which can affect any part of the body but which commonly affects the lungs. The symptoms of TB include a cough lasting several weeks, unexplained weight loss, night sweats and chest pains.
TB can be cured completely and many people with TB are not infectious to others as the disease can only be transmitted if someone with TB in the lungs coughs up TB germs.
Most children with TB catch the infection from an adult relative, not from other children.
More information on tuberculosis can be obtained from the Public Health Laboratory Service website www.phls.co.uk.
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