UK to Offer Meningitis B Vaccine to Million Young People Following Outbreak
The UK government has announced a one-off vaccination programme offering two doses of the meningitis B vaccine to approximately one million teenagers in their final school year and young people under 25 starting university, beginning in late July 2026. The decision follows an unprecedented outbreak in Kent and clusters in Dorset and Berkshire that resulted in three deaths, with all cases covered by the Bexero vaccine. The programme aims to protect those at highest risk during university entry, when increased social mixing and shared accommodation elevate transmission risk.
The UK government has launched an emergency vaccination programme in response to meningitis B outbreaks across multiple regions. The programme will offer two doses of the Bexero vaccine, administered at least 28 days apart, to teenagers born between September 2007 and August 2008 and young people aged 18-25 entering university or residential further education for the first time in autumn 2026. The vaccine protects against most strains of meningitis B bacteria and is thought to provide protection for at least six years. The decision follows the UK's largest meningitis B outbreak in Kent and unusual clusters in Weymouth, Dorset and Reading, Berkshire, which together caused three deaths. Health officials note that meningococcal disease can be fatal in up to one in ten cases, with survivors sometimes experiencing permanent complications such as hearing loss or epilepsy. Young people entering university face elevated risk due to factors including shared accommodation, social gatherings, and expanded social networks that facilitate bacterial transmission.
What different sources said
- BBCCenter
Meningitis B vaccine to be offered to thousands of young people in July
- BBC Top StoriesCenter
Meningitis B vaccine to be offered to a million young people
UK school leavers and new students to be offered meningitis B vaccine
- The Straits TimesCenter
Britain offers meningitis shot to 1 million students after outbreak
- The GuardianLeft
UK school leavers and new students to be offered meningitis B vaccine
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