Dear Parent/Carer I am writing to you to ask for your support in helping us protect more teenagers in Barking & Dagenham against Tetanus, Diphtheria, Polio and Meningitis. This year the current uptake of these immunisations is lower than it has been in previous years. Low levels of immunisation put children and young people at risk of getting these serious diseases – however it is not too late to change this.  As part of the national immunisation programme, teenagers in Year 9 are required to get the 3-in-1 booster and the Meningitis ACWY vaccines in addition to the HPV vaccine in Year 8. These vaccines have been used for decades as an effective way of protecting teenagers against a whole range of dangerous diseases such as Tetanus, Diphtheria, Polio, Meningitis and several types of cancer. Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining of the brain which causes long-term problems and can be fatal. Tetanus, Diphtheria & Polio are three separate diseases which can cause problems such as difficulty breathing and swallowing, muscle spasms and a high temperature. Not getting the vaccine could lead to your child becoming very unwell. You can read more about both vaccines and the diseases they protect against below: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/men-acwy-vaccine/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/3-in-1-teenage-booster/ Please read the full letter here