Asda rolls out ‘affordable’ meningitis vaccines for shoppers

Asda has launched a new meningitis vaccination, which it called the most affordable on the market.

Available across all of its pharmacy sites, the stores’ trained pharmacists will be able to give both the ACWY vaccine, costing £45, and the MenB vaccine, which will be priced at just under £180.

The vaccine is available by appointment at participating Asda pharmacies nationwide, with customers able to book the jab online.

The move comes after the grocer’s charity partner Meningitis Now recently called for more affordable protection against the disease.

Asda is also driving awareness of the disease, with leaflets, posters and links directing towards Meningitis Now to provide further information on the disease, who is vulnerable, and signs and symptoms shoppers should be aware of.

Asda head of pharmacy and superintendent pharmacist Faisal Tuddy said: “Cost should never be a barrier to essential healthcare.

“By offering meningitis vaccines for the lowest price in the market, we’re responding to Meningitis Now’s urgent call for greater affordability and accessibility – helping more people to stay protected.”

He continued: “By taking this first step to make essential healthcare more accessible, we hope pharmacies and vaccines manufacturers can start to work together to bring the cost of this medication down even further.”

Asda joins Aldi in working with its charity partner, with the rival supermarket recently reporting that it had raised £11m for Teenage Cancer Trust since partnering with the organisation in 2017.

In February, Tesco also revealed that it would be offering free blood pressure checks to shoppers in partnership with the British Heart Foundation.

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