Key Summary
- People born between 1st September 2007 and 31st August 2008, and those born on or after 21 July 2001 and starting university are eligible.
- The vaccine schedule will provide eligible young people enough time to have both doses before they join university.
- The bacteria that causes MenB disease can spread through close contact with an infected person, and can be life-threatening.
Students heading to university this autumn are being urged to use the NHS National Booking Service from Monday (12) onwards to book MenB vaccines at community pharmacies.
The vaccine will offer vital protection for 17- and 18-year-olds currently in the last year of sixth form and students under the age of 25 who are heading to residential colleges or university this autumn.
The first vaccination appointments will be available from 20 July. Two doses of the vaccine are needed and they need to be taken at least 28 days apart.
This will provide eligible young people enough time to have both doses before they join university or college, and before autumn when meningitis cases typically begin to rise.
In total, around a million young people are expected to be eligible for the vaccine.
Those who are eligible are people born between 1st September 2007 and 31st August 2008; people born on or after 21 July 2001 and starting university for the first time this autumn; and people born on or after 21 July 2001 who are starting in some residential further education colleges for the first time this autumn.
Students in their first year of university are at greater risk of contracting Meningococcal B than young people of a similar age who do not go to university.
The bacteria that causes MenB disease can spread through close contact with an infected person. This can be through kissing, sharing drinks or vapes, or prolonged close contact with the person for long periods of time, such as living in the same home.
Meningococcal B can cause serious, life-threatening problems including inflammation of the lining of the brain and sepsis (blood poisoning). This can lead to life-changing disabilities such as amputations, hearing loss and brain damage, and in some cases can prove fatal.
NHS director of vaccination Caroline Temmink said, "Heading off to university is an exciting time, but it's also when the risk of MenB disease is higher as you spend lots of time with new people in shared living spaces, making it easier for the bacteria that cause this potentially deadly disease to spread.
“So, before you pack your bags, take a few minutes to get your meningitis jab – it's one of the simplest things you can do to protect yourself before starting university.
“We’ve seen the tragic consequences of MenB earlier this year in so if you're eligible, don't leave it to chance – get vaccinated."
Health secretary James Murray said, “Vaccines save lives, which is why we’re offering the Meningitis B vaccine to around one million students as part of vital actions we're taking to better protect young people.
“We’re also launching our new taskforce which will strengthen ties between the health and education sectors. We've already worked in partnership to encourage international students to get their first MenB dose before coming to the UK."
Vaccine taskforce
In addition, the Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Education have on Monday (12) launched a School-Aged Vaccination Taskforce to improve vaccination uptake across school-aged vaccination programmes including through school and college vaccination sessions.
The taskforce will include health and education experts, ministers from both departments and representatives from NHS England and the UK Health Security Agency.
Vaccinations are vital in helping to protect the health of school children, preventing avoidable illness and helping them stay healthy and in education.
