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

I’ve been having the same thoughts. It is normally uni students who are the most at risk. I am slightly panicking that there is something different about these current strains and they are more transmissible as it does see to be 6th formers affected.

I am having my 6th former (at school in Henley!) vaccinated tomorrow. I can’t decide about DS in year 11 but he is going to Reading festival in the summer….

But if the vaccine only lasts a few years? Will seek advice on this with the pharmacist tomorrow .

@MrsJamin or the gov could just roll out the vaccine to all six form and cover uni as well.

There will be loads of year end parties soon

Good advice. I’m sorry this is a pupil at your son’s school. So very sad.

I’m not sure if there is still shortages. I had already planned to do around last month but due to the prior outbreak all stocks were used up.

i got the email a couple of weeks ago to say boots were back in stock and we had done today. Superdrug also emailed so maybe things are back to normal.

Yes my pharmacist said he had good stock levels. I guess they will run down again soon with this latest outbreak maybe. Hopefully they’ll have upped the supply as the demand going forward will surely be higher.

The word on our group chat is that most places like Boots and local pharmacies have good stock.

There’s not any difference between a 16-17 year old and an 18-19 year old. The reason they targeted uni students with vaccines etc is because of their higher risk behaviours (as well as often living together etc) meaning it’s easier passing it on. But if a few 16-17 year olds are at a party/social gathering with a load of 18-21 year old uni students they still have the same chance of catching it.
I agree though that it’s probably best for vaccines to target younger people now to help prevent similar outbreaks. Possibly year 10/11. But then they’d need to think about possible boosters pre uni as well.

Would love to see some clarity around how long these vaccines last. I guess with the Men B being a new one they maybe didn’t realise it would wear off after a few years? I have friends who did their kids in 2012 who don’t think they need to boost them. And a GP who said the same. But from what I understand that isn’t true.

Will a Yr 12 need a booster halfway through university for example?

Anyone born before 1st May 2015 won't have had the strain b vaccine at all, so I guess that's anyone 11 and over does not have resistance to this strain. I think we are going to see more of this until the current 11 year olds are at university.

Yes this is true- lots don’t realise.

My friends paid for it privately when it first came out and don’t think they need to boost.

My 17/19 yr olds have had their second dose today. The pharmacist said they may get a booster in two years time if we wanted and for the younger one who’s likely to still be at higher risk, I am thinking we probably will. He did say that there is not a strong recommendation yet on the value of the booster but that there may be more information in two years time.

My DS is 19 and at uni. He had the second dose two weeks ago. My DD is 17 and had her final dose last Sunday. She is going to the Redding Festival in August and wanted the vaccine too. I had them done privately at Boots. The pharmacist said they could have a booster in two years time so if DD goes to uni it would be at the end of her first year. I couldn’t get one done and then so no the other so it was an expensive business but at least I have peace of mind. They really should vaccinate teens.

My thinking now is to get Yr12 DS done and also YR 11 DS. My feeling is that these strains are behaving a bit differently (and experts agree). Then I’ll boost them both after two years. That should see them through 6th form and Uni and give me peace of mind.

There is some theorising that Covid has impacted immune systems which means meningitis can become more deadly in some.

Reading updates on this as the boy has been named. Heartbreaking to hear how quickly he went downhill. Will be reminding DS tonight to keep an eye on all his friends and also seek help if unwell (he boards).

I did hear on our school WhatsApp that the one of the other schools involved is Reading Blue Coat in Sonning. This has been confirmed in the news. I guess they have traced it back to an event. I’m wondering party or nightclub. But quite a few local schools impacted.

That seems sensible.
i just wish there was some clear info around on vaccinations generally e.g. “this vaccination lasts for x years. NHS offer boosters in x years time, but some people choose to boost before then, which is safe.”

The same for Covid - lots of children have had their lives horribly affected from Covid infections, it’s disrupted immune systems etc - so much research on it, but so little info generally.

How sad. I must look into vaccinations.

https://www.meningitis.org/about-meningitis/vaccines/meningococcal-vaccines/menb-vaccines/

Info here on men b vaccines

Agree so much with this.

Even a local GP was saying no need to boost after ten years but the Meningitis Society clearly says vaccines for Men B only last 2-5 years

Even the narrative in the newspaper is that all the babies born from 2015 onwards will be vaccinated and protected but they won’t after the age of 5 will they? So unless this is common knowledge parents will assume that protection lasts. And nobody will get their teen done before uni!

I think they should roll out a vaccination program now for this age group. And offer boosters.

And as someone who has suffered with long covid - I also agree with you about that and the lack of research and knowledge.

This is the website I use for my knowledge but clearly people don’t know and aren’t researching this. Even GPs.

In my group of friends one who had her kids vaccinated with men b 10 years ago thought that was it - she wasn’t aware they needed a booster before uni (and her doctor told her she didn’t!). You have to actively research yourself.

There does need to be a national awareness campaign.

My son had a booster vaccination over the Easter holidays at Boots for £110. He'd had both vaccinations several years ago, but the effectiveness would have worn off by now.

do you think that those of us with kids born before that date should look into getting it done? I have a 13 year old, and wondering if I should book it privately ASAP or just wait a couple of years.

My son was born in 2010, even though I had bacterial meningitis and septicemia at the age of 26, my son wasn't eligible on the NHS for Men B vaccination. Once the vaccine became available in 2015, my son was nearly 5 and we paid privately £153 per vaccine.

My son is now 15, and we have just paid £110 via Boots for him to have a booster. Speaking from a personal level, I wouldn't wish the disease on another living soul, it's horrendous. It's been over 20 years since I became ill, but the side effects are still very much there, and will always be. If you can afford to vaccinate your son, then do so.

@Rescaetal the Comms around this vaccine is not only despicable it's costing lives.

Even on a one to one basis it's been hard getting through to friends who are adamant that their DC are up to date with all their vaccinations.

Just got DS 17 vaccinated. Interrogated our pharmacist (as he’s the head of the National Pharmacy Association and is often on the news talking about this).

So he’s recommending getting all teens done and just boosting them before uni. It does only last a few years unfortunately. He’d like to see a government roll out on this but in the meantime.

He confirmed vapes, sharing drinks etc are the biggest risk factors.

Our plan is to vaccinate both Ds17 and DS 16. After the first vaccination they have 75% immunity and this goes up to I think 95% with the second but that’s in 6 months time. So if the outbreaks get worse you can do one more in a month then another in 5 months. But the cost is more obviously

I think it’s once they start going to parties, sharing drinks, vapes etc. This is why Uni is the biggest risk time.

Up to you. You could vaccinate for piece of mind and then do again at 16. The problem is it wears off so you keep having to give them a booster to see them through uni

thank you, wise advice, I think I will go for it, and then do it again in a few years.

sorry to hear that you had such issues, grateful for your wisdom.