A targeted meningococcal vaccination programme for Northland is not a magic bullet

The programme's been announced by the Health Minister to control an outbreak of a particularly nasty outbreak that has killed three people in the region so far.

Another three have died in other parts of the country.

Immunisation Centre director Nikki Turner says the vaccine only covers the one strain of the disease....

... and it's a complicated, logistically difficult thing to do.

The targeted vaccinations will begin in Northland next month for specific age groups.