Parents Rush to Vaccinate After Deadly Meningococcal B Scare

Parents across Israel have been flocking to health clinics to ask for the meningococcal B vaccine after the bacterium was reportedly linked to the deaths of two toddlers. The article says the outbreak has triggered widespread alarm because the infection can become life-threatening within hours.

Medical professionals recommend the vaccine for infants and toddlers, but it is not included in the national health basket. As a result, families must pay hundreds of shekels for it even after subsidies.

The report does not say when or where the two suspected deaths occurred, but it underscores the growing concern among parents and the cost barrier facing those who want to protect their children. The source frames the bacterium as a dangerous childhood infection and notes that the rush for vaccination has been especially strong among families with very young children.