Meningitis B latest: ‘Devastated’ family of teen who died in outbreak call for mass vaccine rollout

Good morning, here are the latest headlines on the meningitis B outbreak in Kent:

• The family of Juliette Kenny, the 18-year-old who died in the outbreak, have paid tribute to her and called for the jab to be available on the NHS for teenagers and young people

• Students are expected to flock to vaccine centres in Kent again on Friday as more locations open

• Health officials will face questions over their handling of the outbreak later today

• Suspected and confirmed cases of meningitis linked to the outbreak have risen to 27

• More than 100 students in Kent were turned away from a queue on Thursday

• On Thursday, 40 MPs signed a letter addressed to the health secretary calling on the government and health officials to work with universities across the country on catch-up vaccination programmes

• More than 8,500 antibiotics and 1,600 vaccines have been given to eligible people amid the outbreak

The father of an 18-year-old girl who died following a meningitis outbreak in Kent has described his family’s devastation as “immeasurable” as he called for better protection for young people.

Juliette Kenny died on Saturday, March 14, one day after first showing symptoms including vomiting and discolouration in her cheeks, her father Michael Kenny said.

Mr Kenny added his daughter had been “fit, healthy and strong” before her death, having completed her PE A-level practical assessment on Thursday, March 12.

Juliette, described by her father as having a “beautifully positive energy”, is one of two students who have died following the meningitis B outbreak in the county.

Mr Kenny said “no family should experience this pain and tragedy” and that “this can be avoided”, adding he wanted his daughter’s legacy to be “lasting change”.

Health officials are expected to face questions after more than 100 students in Kent were turned away while trying to get a meningitis vaccine on Thursday.

On Friday, health partners are due to attend a media briefing in the county on the latest updates regarding the deadly outbreak.

The University of Kent said it had closed the vaccine queue on its Canterbury campus “due to capacity” on Thursday because it needed to finish the clinic by 5pm.

More than 100 people who had been waiting for a jab were turned away, according to Press Association estimates of the queue size.

MPs have urged the government to work with universities across the UK to introduce catch-up vaccination programmes for students.

Some 40 MPs have signed a letter to health secretary Wes Streeting saying it is a tragedy a meningitis B vaccine exists but is not routinely offered to students.

Nine of the 15 confirmed cases are known to have been caused by menB.

Babies have routinely been offered a vaccine against MenB only since 2015.

The jab most likely to be used in the targeted vaccination programme – Bexsero – covers up to 80 per cent of menB strains.

There will be some protection around two weeks after the first dose, although two doses are needed for full protection.

An interval of at least four weeks is recommended between the first and second dose.

The two-dose vaccine course in Kent is being given alongside antibiotics as an additional precaution.

Some experts estimate that protection lasts for up to three years.

So far more than 8,500 antibiotics and 1,600 vaccines have been now given to eligible people in Kent amid the meningitis outbreak.

The UK Health Security Agency says 20,000 vaccines from the NHS supply will be made available to the private market to ease the demand at pharmacies from people who want to pay for a jab. Some pharmacies say supplies have run low.

Most people already vaccinated were inoculated against MenACWY strains, not the MenB strain.

Health secretary Wes Streeting said young people should be cautious about sharing vapes, but added he was not the “fun police”.

He said that as a “rule of thumb” it is “not hygienic to share things like vapes around your mates”.

Mr Streeting told told BBC Newsbeat : “It’s absolutely fine for people to go about living their lives in a normal way and there is no reason for me to be the fun police today and tell students across the country that they shouldn’t be going out this weekend and doing the things that they would normally do in a nightclub.”

Professor Robin May, UKHSA chief scientific officer, said this was a very unusual outbreak and that experts were looking at why meningitis in these cases may have become more transmissible.

Prof May told the BBC: “Typically, you would expect to see sporadic cases of meningitis, typically individual patients. Most days, actually, we would see one in the UK.

“What is particularly remarkable about this case, and unexpected about this case, is the large number of cases all originating from what seems to be a single event.

“There are two possible reasons for that. One is that there might be something about the kind of behaviour that individual people are doing.

“The other possibility is the bacteria itself may have evolved to be better at transmitting.”

Prof May said the bacteria can be transmitted by sharing utensils, cups and vapes.

More vaccination centres are opening across Kent on Friday following an expansion of the government’s meningitis immunisation programme.

One facility, at Faversham Health Centre, will begin administering jabs at 9am on Friday and will remain open on Saturday.

Other clinics are also scheduled to open at the Vicarage Lane Clinic in Ashford and at the University of Kent, NHS England has said.

The Gate Clinic at Kent and Canterbury Hospital will be open throughout the weekend for walk-ins.

Vaccinations are now available to anyone who attended the Club Chemistry venue from 5 March to 15 March, year 12 and 13 pupils at affected schools, students and staff at the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church university, and close contacts of confirmed or suspected cases.