UK National Health Service (NHS) to Provide Meningitis B Vaccines to Specific Youth Groups

Key facts

• The National Health Service (NHS) will provide a two-dose vaccine against meningitis B to pupils in their final year of secondary school and 18- to 25-year-olds entering university or residential further education for the first time.
• Eligibility for the vaccine extends to individuals born between 1st September 2007 and 31st August 2008 and those under 25 starting university.
• In England, the vaccinations will be administered via community pharmacies, with appointments becoming available from the end of July.
• The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) decided that offering the meningitis B jab as a routine vaccine for all teenagers is not cost-effective.
• While the meningitis B vaccine is targeted, all teenagers are currently offered the MenACWY vaccine, which protects against other strains of the disease.