Health authorities in England are launching a vaccination campaign to administer meningitis B vaccines to roughly one million eligible young people. The initiative follows an outbreak of the disease that occurred in Kent in March, which resulted in 29 confirmed or suspected cases and two deaths and was described as unprecedented and explosive by officials.
The vaccine is being made available to two main groups: teenagers aged 17 and 18, as well as students under age 25 who are beginning university or residential further education courses for the first time in autumn 2026. Participants born between specified dates are eligible, along with international students and those from other UK nations studying in England. Nearly 90,000 doses have already been administered, with 135,000 additional appointments scheduled for the coming weeks. Around 10,000 people in the Kent region received vaccinations as part of the immediate response to the March outbreak.
Meningitis B is a serious bacterial infection that can cause inflammation of the brain lining and blood poisoning, potentially leading to life-threatening complications, permanent disabilities including hearing loss and amputations, or death. First-year university students face approximately seven times higher risk of infection compared to peers not attending university, largely due to increased social mixing and shared living arrangements. The infection spreads through close contact such as kissing, sharing food or drinks, and proximity in shared accommodation.
Bookings for the vaccine can be made through participating high street pharmacies and the NHS National Booking Service for eligible individuals already registered with a doctor. Walk-in vaccination services are also available. The vaccine requires two doses administered at least 28 days apart for full protection. Common side effects include injection site swelling and mild symptoms like fever or headache that typically resolve within one or two days, while serious adverse effects are rare.
The MenB vaccine was incorporated into the routine UK childhood immunization program for babies born from 1 July 2015 onward, but teenagers and young adults over 11 years old have not previously received it. Health experts are recommending that government officials consider adding routine MenB vaccination for all teenagers around age 15, though this decision rests with individual UK nations.
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