Teenagers to get life-saving meningitis jab after deadly outbreak kills two and leaves others fighting for life
Teenagers heading to university and in their final year of sixth form will be offered a life-saving meningitis vaccine after a recent outbreak of the killer disease left two young people dead and others fighting for their lives.
Around a million Year 13 pupils and young people under 25 starting university this year will be eligible for the meningitis B (MenB) jab under a new government programme.
The emergency rollout comes after a series of outbreaks, including a cluster in Kent earlier this year.
Eighteen-year-old Juliette Kenny was among those who died, prompting her family to campaign for wider access to the vaccine for teenagers and young adults.
Health officials warn that university freshers are at particular risk due to close contact in halls, shared housing and crowded social settings.
Under the scheme, pupils aged 17 to 18 in Year 13 will be offered two doses of the MenB vaccine, as well as under-25s entering university or residential further education for the first time this autumn.
Young people will be invited for their first jab from July 20, with a second dose at least four weeks later to ensure maximum protection before the start of term.
Anyone finishing Year 13 this summer and born between September 1, 2007 and August 31, 2008, will be eligible, regardless of whether they go on to university.
Pictured: A student receives a vaccine in the sports hall at the University of Kent in Canterbury in March
Juliette Kenny, 18, (pictured) died surrounded by her family after falling victim to the deadly disease, which swept through several towns in Kent in March
Under-25s entering their first year of higher education this autumn will also qualify, including international students, who are advised to receive their first dose in their home country where possible.
The vaccine – Bexsero, manufactured by GSK – will be offered via community pharmacies, with eligible pupils contacted via the NHS app, text or letter.
Anyone who misses their second dose in August will still be able to receive it in September.
The move comes amid mounting concern among health experts that meningitis cases in young people may be rising again after years of decline.
Students are at higher risk, particularly during their first year when mixing with people from across the country, with cases typically peaking between October and November.
England’s deputy chief medical officer, Dr Thomas Waite, warned the disease can be fatal in up to one in ten cases.
He said: ‘Two doses of the MenB vaccine are needed for maximum protection, and I encourage everyone attending university and further education for the first time this autumn to come forward.’
Health Secretary James Murray said the programme was being introduced amid fears the disease could be changing.
Students are pictured queuing for antibiotics outside a building at the University of Kent in Canterbury in March
He said: ‘Recent clusters indicate a possible shift in how MenB affects people. We are acting now to protect those at the highest risk as they enter university and residential colleges.’
He urged all eligible students to take up the offer ‘to give them peace of mind’ ahead of the new academic year.
However, some groups have been excluded from the scheme, including students in their second year or beyond and postgraduate entrants, because their risk is considered lower.
UKHSA epidemiologist Dr Shamez Ladhani said the eligibility criteria had to focus on those most at risk.
‘The group being vaccinated is broadly the group at the highest risk,’ he said. ‘If you’re outside the eligibility, your risk is lower.’
Experts believe the recent rise in cases may be linked to falling population immunity, following decades of declining infections.
‘Meningococcal disease tends to follow cycles,’ Dr Ladhani said. ‘When immunity falls and new strains emerge, cases can rise again.’
He added that Covid lockdowns may also have played a role in changing infection patterns, although the impact is difficult to measure.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is currently reviewing whether a wider and longer-term programme should be introduced.
Charities welcomed the move but warned that it does not go far enough.
Dr Tom Nutt, chief executive of Meningitis Now, said: ‘This is a great step forward but we would like to see it rolled out further and made permanent.’
Vinny Smith, of the Meningitis Research Foundation, added that the scheme was ‘a step towards closing the UK’s MenB protection gap’ – but cautioned that many young people would still miss out.
Health officials have urged students not to delay coming forward, warning the disease can strike suddenly and progress rapidly.
