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Original poster

Meningitis B

68 replies

notafancyusername · 16/03/2026 10:28

Anyone with a 19/20 year old ?
Should we be getting the meningitis B vaccination for them ?

OP posts:
TeenLifeMum · 17/03/2026 22:54

Wes Streeting has said they’re reviewing the vaccine programme so I’m waiting to hear what they decide (likely to be a fairly swift decision in coming weeks) but I’ve said to dd1 we’ll pay for the vaccine before she goes to uni in September. She’s dreadful as getting vaccines - wants them but is needle phobic. She asked if she can give consent to be pinned down because she does want it. I might give her a couple of shots of vodka before she goes in 😬

ZookeeperSE · 17/03/2026 22:49

Fairenphort · 17/03/2026 22:36

Superdrug, booked and paid online. Booked when the news first broke.
Went instore and were told stock was being diverted to Kent.

Edited
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Where are you, roughly, if you don’t mind sharing?

Fairenphort · 17/03/2026 22:36

tabbycat897 · 17/03/2026 21:33

For the people who had their vaccinations cancelled, was this at Boots or Superdrug? Did they get cancelled immediately after you booked them or has this just happened? There are still appointments available in some branches so it would be good to know in advance not to bother trawling through the website and arranging to get to some out of the way location....tia

Superdrug, booked and paid online. Booked when the news first broke.
Went instore and were told stock was being diverted to Kent.

Rituelec · 17/03/2026 22:30

Hopefully the antibiotics work

Floraflower3 · 17/03/2026 22:16

BeMellowAquaSquid · 17/03/2026 22:13

No it provides zero protection to men B

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That’s helpful thanks! Such a shame for these poor students, I hope the outbreak can be contained and those affected recover quickly.

Batties · 17/03/2026 22:16

BeMellowAquaSquid · 17/03/2026 22:07

I live in close proximity to the epicentre of the outbreak with kids 19,15,14. A friend has a child who played sport at the weekend with a lad now in a coma he’s at Kent uni. I’m sitting tight at this stage the vaccine isn’t instant protection whereas the antibiotics are. My brother had MenB about 40 years ago so the panic isn’t lost on me as I’ve experienced it first hand but… education is key. It can’t be contained no matter what the press say. But I do believe it’s best to sit tight. I do feel that the Gov will imminently roll out an emergency vaccine.

I don’t think they have enough vaccine to roll it out as an emergency.

BeMellowAquaSquid · 17/03/2026 22:13

Floraflower3 · 17/03/2026 22:13

I might be misremembering but I’m sure when I went to uni in London in 2014 we were offered a meningitis vaccine for free but I can’t find any records of it. Would it have been only for those doing a healthcare course or everyone? It may have been the men ACWY vaccine - does that provide cross protection for men B?

Edited

No it provides zero protection to men B

Floraflower3 · 17/03/2026 22:13

I might be misremembering but I’m sure when I went to uni in London in 2014 we were offered a meningitis vaccine for free but I can’t find any records of it. Would it have been only for those doing a healthcare course or everyone? It may have been the men ACWY vaccine - does that provide cross protection for men B?

BeMellowAquaSquid · 17/03/2026 22:07

I live in close proximity to the epicentre of the outbreak with kids 19,15,14. A friend has a child who played sport at the weekend with a lad now in a coma he’s at Kent uni. I’m sitting tight at this stage the vaccine isn’t instant protection whereas the antibiotics are. My brother had MenB about 40 years ago so the panic isn’t lost on me as I’ve experienced it first hand but… education is key. It can’t be contained no matter what the press say. But I do believe it’s best to sit tight. I do feel that the Gov will imminently roll out an emergency vaccine.

ZookeeperSE · 17/03/2026 22:02

FruAashild · 17/03/2026 20:09

There will be a limited number of vaccines in the country and they might want to do mass vaccination in Kent to contain it before the Easter holidays.

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Which is bloody irritating when (anecdotally) I’ve got a group of friends with Uni age DC, booked in for Boots jabs, in their various Uni towns, precisely because they’re about to come home to Canterbury for Easter

Nickyknackered · 17/03/2026 22:01

I have 2 at uni and can't afford the £440 to get them vaccinated.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 17/03/2026 21:58

Honestly it’s the first I’ve heard of this vaccine only giving a couple of years protection. I feel so ignorant and naive.

Batties · 17/03/2026 21:55

This article from the BBC says it last for only a few years

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3rzg0vg947o#:~:text=And%20the%20vaccine%20does%20not,not%20considered%20lifelong%2C%20say%20experts.

Oxo01 · 17/03/2026 21:54

Just seen headlines that there's 1 case in London now.
Anyone else seen this news ?

LondonRidge · 17/03/2026 21:53

cinnamonroll1 · 17/03/2026 19:54

Because that wouldn’t be cost effective - that would mean vaccinating everyone under 50 every 5 years, as that’s roughly how long protection lasts for. The most vulnerable to the infection are babies/toddlers and young people starting uni, hence that’s when the vaccine is recommended. Overall, incidence of the disease is low in the general population so not something the nhs can afford to cover for everyone.

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What is your source pls for the five years. Are you a dr? I know it’s on Google nut looking for more concrete. My ds was about 5 when he had it

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 17/03/2026 21:50

AmberTigerEyes · 17/03/2026 19:12

I saw and while I relieved by children are vaccinated (born post 2015), I was shocked that they’ve withheld this vaccine for 11 years from older children who are now dying from it.

I’ve just read those vaccinations aren’t lifelong and actually only give protection for a couple of years!!!!!!

Imsosorryalan75 · 17/03/2026 21:49

None seem to be available to book privately in Kent now

tabbycat897 · 17/03/2026 21:33

For the people who had their vaccinations cancelled, was this at Boots or Superdrug? Did they get cancelled immediately after you booked them or has this just happened? There are still appointments available in some branches so it would be good to know in advance not to bother trawling through the website and arranging to get to some out of the way location....tia

cosietea · 17/03/2026 20:19

Mine isn’t cancelled yet ( paid and booked this morning)

Batties · 17/03/2026 20:18

My DD is due to come home for Easter this weekend. It’s a little concerning that in the next week or 2 weeks have many thousands of university students, including those from infected areas, travelling to other parts of the UK

Rituelec · 17/03/2026 20:14

Yes. Saving them for places of outbreak.

FruAashild · 17/03/2026 20:09

sharkstale · 17/03/2026 20:01

Why are they being cancelled, do you know? X

Show quote history

There will be a limited number of vaccines in the country and they might want to do mass vaccination in Kent to contain it before the Easter holidays.

sharkstale · 17/03/2026 20:01

Rituelec · 17/03/2026 20:00

Private jabs are now being cancelled x

Why are they being cancelled, do you know? X

Rituelec · 17/03/2026 20:00

Private jabs are now being cancelled x

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