Norliah Syer-Peterson, a Melbourne mom, explained that her son Levi initially showed symptoms similar to gastro on Tuesday, September 23, but his health declined rapidly after that.

Levi, a Year 10 student at St Francis Xavier College in Beaconsfield, had appeared perfectly happy and healthy that morning, Norliah shared with 9news.com.au.

Levi had just gotten his learner driver’s licence and had been busy making plans for the year ahead, his mother said.

“He had braces on that he was going to get off later this year. He was doing his deb next year, in March,” she said.

Tests have confirmed Levi died of sepsis caused by meningococcal B bacteria.

Like most Year 10 students in Victoria, Levi received a free meningococcal vaccine at school, which covers strains A, C, W and Y.

Currently, the meningococcal B vaccine is only part of the National Immunisation Program for specific at-risk groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants.

After advocacy from medical professionals and campaigners, states such as Queensland, South Australia, and the Northern Territory have initiated their own programs to offer free meningococcal B vaccines to all children and teenagers.

However, Victoria, NSW, the ACT and Tasmania are yet to do so.

Syer-Peterson said she was now making it her mission to lobby for meningococcal B vaccines to be made available free of charge.

“The fact that it’s not funded is absurd; the average Australian can’t afford it,” she expressed, noting that she hadn’t even considered the additional vaccination for Levi.

The Australian Technical Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), which advises the health minister on the National Immunisation Program, recommended the meningococcal B vaccine be given to infants, young children and adolescents in 2014.

“To date, the PBAC has not received an application from pharmaceutical companies seeking expanded eligibility for meningococcal B vaccine,” the spokesperson said.

There have been 13 cases of meningococcal B in Victoria so far this year.

A spokesperson for Victoria’s Health Department said: “The Chief Health Officer monitors the prevalence of meningococcal cases in Victoria, which informs their independent health advice on vaccination settings.

“The Commonwealth’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee does not currently recommend a meningococcal B vaccine for the broader community.”