Meningitis outbreak

[Flipitoff]

I’m freaking out a bit

DD has been here all day after travelling from uni yesterday. Her housemate is really poorly and now I’ve just seen the news about the meningitis outbreak at her uni.

Her housemate is in the house on her own now - I’ve told DD to call the uni and let them know. Worried that DD has been here with us all day in case she gets sick

My DD is 13 . I am looking into getting her the vaccine. Your younger DS might have just made it as the rollout started x

https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/sites/default/files/2024-10/MenB%20factsheet%20FINAL.pdf

And here i am in clinic with babies not turning up for their baby imms.

And the one that did turn up had to persuade the parent hard that it was a good thing to get their 8 week imms.

Especially with the current news.

This in a nutshell, the people who should know
Don't!

I paid for all my DCs to have the Men B Vaccination back in 2014 but from reading the posts here it looks like even though they had the 2 injections as per to the schedule for kids over the age of 2, it only lasts a short period of time? I guess this means we might need to do it all over again as they are now in the dangerous age range!

We don't have any guidance for revaccination for Meningitis B because 1, there is a lack of data, and 2, vaccinating teenagers with MenB vaccine isn't part of the NHS schedule therefore we have no guidance...

The evidence is that teens and young adults are at a higher risk from Meningitis ACWY strains, hence they are vaccinated against those. Babies and children under 4 are at a higher risk of MenB invasive disease, hence we vaccinate them against that. Their booster dose at 12 months of age is scheduled then to protect them until they are 4, which is when the risk reduces significantly. Therefore one could suggest that the vaccines offer greatest protection for a few years.

If I had younger teens I wouldn't be rushing out to get them MenB vaccine, I'd be waiting until sixth form age to give them the greatest benefit.

(Disclaimer, I'm a nurse practitioner in primary care and immunisation and vaccination lead nurse)

Thank you. It’s a good reminder to drum in the importance of seeking help quickly to kids going off to Uni. And to all look out for each other.

Will speak to DSs tonight and then remind again before uni.

I’m frustrated about the lack of info about how long the men B vaccine lasts even from HCPs. I think looking at guidance from other counties is a good idea. Also if babies can cope with a few jabs then a booster should do no harm. Better than assuming it lasts for years and years and it doesn’t.

But agree timing it to 6th form seems a good idea for the best protection at the most risky time.

Yes I’m thoroughly confused by the length too

In case it is useful, in the last few minutes I posted some immunity persistence data from the manufacturer’s clinical trials over on the AIBU thread about meningitis B boosters. Can’t link on this device, sorry.

Mine were at boarding school. They had the NHS one at school. The Men B, I paid privately for dc1. Dc2 hasn’t had it as went to uni during covid. Will look at getting them to have it when possible.

It should be clear how long vaccines last for - and if that information isn’t known at the time, it should be made very clear when that information does become available.

Public health info just seems a bit rubbish, including how specific illnesses are spread.

Agreed. If this vaccine has been around since 2015 they should know now.

I do remember when it came out and people rushing to get their kids vaccinated. Those people will have no doubt assumed lasting protection. Not that they have to pay again before Uni.

Public health and the government need to do better on this. Especially given how deadly meningitis is. That 1 in 10 death rate is shocking.

Two more people are now in hospital (BBC).

My nieces grammer school in Kent now have a girl in hospital with suspected meningitis. An email went out this morning. I think it’s really worrying this has spread how it has.

So what are the sensible precautions for young people in the area? NO sharing vapes? No snogging?

Do you think they will roll out a vaccine to all these age groups now? Not everyone can afford the £200. Considering paying for dd as she is at uni. My friends school in Kent has just got an email about a confirmed case.

I'm angry with myself for not knowing about this.

It’s such a worry that it is also affecting the schools.

For precautions- no sharing vapes. No sharing drinks/ bottles. Keep an eye on your own drink.

I think a reminder to them that it’s spread through saliva but I think they will all continue snogging.

No sharing drinks/ bottles. That's a good point.

superdrug website who does Men B says children vaccinated as babies likely to need a booster as teens. I don't get the impression from the website that adults vaccinated need another booster dose.

the men b vaccine manufactor info says teens to have two injections and maybe a booster. when my children had their two vaccines in boots late 2025 it was suggested they have another in 12 months so that makes sense now.

pil.5168.pdf

That is worrying.

That’s could be because adult behaviour changes from teens. Adults don’t tend to live in multiple occupation shared areas like uni halls and go out clubbing and snogging lots of people and sharing vapes etc. so they are less at risk from contracting it therefore don’t need a booster rather than protection from the vaccine lasting many years.

The club at the centre of the outbreak is one that a lot of young people from the surrounding area go to. Lots of kids from different schools would have been at the parties. And doing a lot of kissing and sharing drinks……