Disease it protects from

The MenconC vaccine protects against meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis type C bacteria.

Who should get this vaccine

As part of the routine immunization schedule, children get this vaccine starting at age 4 months. You may also get this vaccine after close contact with someone with type C meningococcal disease.

Who may not be able to get this vaccine

You may not be able to get this vaccine if:

• You have an allergy to any part of the vaccine. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider about any allergies you may have.
• You had a severe (serious) or unusual side effect after this vaccine or one like it.

If either of these apply, check with your healthcare provider or a public health nurse before you get the vaccine.

Although you can get the vaccine if you have a mild illness such as a cold or fever, it’s best to stay home until you are feeling better to prevent spreading the illness to others.

Doses

Children need 2 doses, which are usually given at ages 4 and 12 months.

You need fewer doses if you get your first dose after age 12 months. However, it is not recommended to wait to get your baby immunized, because babies have a high risk of getting this disease.

If you’re getting this vaccine because you had contact with someone with type C meningococcal disease, your healthcare provider will tell you how many doses you need.

Other vaccines that protect against the same diseases

MenC-ACYW protects against types A, C, Y, and W-135 meningococcal disease. Grade 9 students can get this vaccine as part of the school immunization program. This will boost their protection against type C meningococcal disease and protect them from types A, Y, and W-135.

You may also get this vaccine if you travel to an area that has a high risk of meningococcal disease or you have other health conditions.

Children who get MenC-ACYW don’t need MenconC.

Men-B is a vaccine that protects against type B meningococcal disease. You may also need this vaccine along with the MenC-ACYW vaccine if you have certain types of health conditions.

Get the vaccine

You can get the vaccine at your local public health or community health centre.

MenconC and other vaccines

You can get a MenconC vaccine at the same time, any time before, or any time after most vaccines. Check with your healthcare provider or public health nurse about when you can get or if you need MenconC vaccine if you had another meningococcal vaccine, because there is a waiting period.

How well it works

Protection for type C meningococcal disease with the MenconC vaccine is about 97% for healthy babies.

It’s important to get the 12-month booster dose because protection weakens over time.

Safety

Vaccine safety is a top priority. Canada uses extremely safe vaccines. Learn more about vaccine safety in Canada, including how vaccines are monitored for continued safety, and ingredients in vaccines.

Side effects

There can be side effects from the MenconC vaccine, but they tend to be mild and go away in a few days. Side effects may include:

• redness where you had the needle that may look red on lighter skin or purple on darker skin
• swelling, a hard spot, or feeling sore where you had the needle
• crying or getting upset easily
• feeling tired or unwell
• trouble sleeping
• a headache
• feeling dizzy
• a fever
• body aches or sore joints
• not feeling hungry or not wanting to eat (poor appetite)
• a rash
• feeling itchy
• feeling sick to your stomach (nausea), stomach pain, vomiting (throwing up), or watery stool (diarrhea)
• a sore throat, cough, runny nose

At least 1 out of 100 people who got this vaccine reported 1 or more of these side effects. In some cases, it is unknown if the vaccine caused these side effects.

It’s important to stay at the clinic for 15 minutes after your vaccine. Some people may have a rare but serious allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. If anaphylaxis happens, you’ll get medicine to treat the symptoms.

It’s rare to have a serious side effect. Call Health Link at 811 to report any serious or unusual side effects.

How to manage side effects

• To help with soreness and swelling, put a cool, wet cloth over the area where you had the needle.
• There is medicine to help with fever or pain. Check with your healthcare provider if you're not sure what medicine or dose to take. Follow the directions on the package.
• Some people with health problems, such as a weakened immune system, must call their healthcare provider if they get a fever. If you’ve been told to do this, call your healthcare provider even if you think the fever is from the vaccine.

There can be mild, short-term side effects after getting a vaccine. Find tips to manage these side effects at home.