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

Best time is probably year 12/13

This is what MeningitisNow says about the booster issue:

"How many doses are required?
Babies receive three doses: at 2 and 3 months* and a booster at 12 months of age. Anyone receiving the vaccine over the age of 2 years only requires 2 doses. It is vital that all doses are given, as protection following one dose is limited.
*From July 2025, the timing of the second dose changed from 4 months to 3 months to provide better protection to young babies."

Other sources seem to indicate that you might want to get a booster if you're in a particularly vulnerable group. I can't find anything though which says that if you have the vaccination in your late teens you need a booster after 5 years (as long as you've had the two doses at the right time).

I never suggested it did last a lifetime.

they do. They also get the other strains at around age 14.

I vaccinate them in schools but the teens often refuse it because they “don’t like needles”. And you can’t give it without their consent.

also a lot of refusal by migrants parents. It’s very frustrating.

https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/nhs-vaccinations-and-when-to-have-them/?wt.mc_id=dhscwintervax_VST_childhoodvaccineschedule_exactmatch&wt.tsrc=ppc&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22939336463&gclid=CjwKCAjw1N7NBhAoEiwAcPchpyFYBUrAm1i-DvtPgakBpYZ_rvcY9LFgXL77AeSr6bJ6KD8pvZzI-xoCnlAQAvD_BwE

Thank you. I’ll do that.

THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE MENINGITIS B WHICH IS THE MOST COMMON STRAIN.

Where have you found information stating that children need to have a booster for Men B every 5 years? I haven't been able to find any information that says that at all. Not suggesting you aren't correct, but where did you find that information? I'd like to read it for myself. None of the Meningitis charities have stated this. I may actually email my contact at the MRF and see what they say.

Yes that five year booster statement puzzled me. I couldn't find anything out about boosters when I got Ds vaccinated back in 2015 (largely because research hasn't been done) and it was clear at the time that immunity might wane and that the vaccine didn't cover all B strains.

The Bexsero site states that boosters might be advisable for certain groups such as teens who are asplenic

This is great awareness and info from a terrible situation.

Making a note to get eldest vaccination before he goes to uni and then similar for youngster. As well as giving them protection it helps contribute to the herd immunity. Which helps everyone.

The Men B vaccine doesn't seem to help herd immunity - there was an Australian study which suggests this. It does however help to protect the immunised individual

https://www.meningitisnow.org/get-support/supporting-young-people/meningitis-in-students/

copied from site:

MenACWY vaccine for students
Most young people in the UK should have had the MenACWY vaccine at school in Year 9 or 10. It protects against four types of meningitis – MenA, MenC, MenW and MenY. However, you may have missed this vaccine – you can check whether you’ve it by contacting your GP or checking the NHS app. Students who have missed the vaccine remain eligible up to the age of 25.

MenB vaccine for students
The MenACWY vaccine does not protect against all types of meningitis. MenB is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in the UK. But the NHS only offers babies and those with specific underlying medical conditions the MenB vaccine. That’s why it’s so important to know the signs and symptoms and when to sound the alarm if you suspect meningitis. The MenB vaccine is available privately. Our No Plan B for Men B campaign is calling for the MenB vaccine to be offered more widely to protect teenagers and young people.

Meng B can be given privately at places like boots but it is expensive - around £220/200 for the two doses needed.

Apparently antibiotics are available for anyone who lives in Keynes college block Q, and Tyler Court Block C. Or anyone who believes to be a close contact of someone who has meningitis.

Extremely concerning. Annoyingly I haven't RTFT but is this outbreak bacterial or viral meningitis?

And for people born before 2025, what vaccination are available as teen on NHS and what should or could people do privately?

My thoughts are with those who are affected by this outbreak.

You can ring your local child immunisation centre they will have his record (the centres do the vaccinations in schools). But if he’s doing his a levels now it’s likely he had the four dose of mengitis around the age of 14 but not the meng B.

Can you contact her family?

My daughter was not given this vaccine.
So in addition to paying for Men B(did first dose at Xmas, having second dose at easter), we need to get the ACWY one.
Very worrying.

@teneleven12 it’s the bacterial one
doesnt matter what year your child was born - if they had the Men B as a baby it’s ineffective within a couple of years. It’s only available privately and is expensive

You can pay privately and have them done but it is costly, although the prices may have decreased since I paid.
I paid for my now 11 year old and 13 year old to have them done when a documentary went out about it. Grandparents paid for the 1st doses and we paid for the second.
My 11 year old missed the NHS doing them by a few months, they were doing all babies from a certain date, he missed the date of being called in by I think 7 months.

I hadn’t realised that a booster maybe required, I was given the impression once they had had 2 doses that was it. I will certainly check the date they were done and see if it’s likely they’ll need a booster at some point.

I think there needs to be an awareness campaign for this. Lots of people don’t know which vaccinations their kids have had and when.

But if Men B is causing 82% of infections and this is the strain that most teenagers are not vaccinated against then that needs to be made clear.

Again - There doesn't seem to be anything online saying the vaccination for babies is ineffective after a couple of years. Even the meningitis charities don't say this. They do say a booster might be needed if you are in a particularly vulnerable group.

I'm not saying it isn't true - just can't find any reference to it at all.

There was a meningitis outbreak in the late nineties and many student deaths. My son's best friend died, and our neighbour's teenage son. It was a nightmare time for young people.

Yes, and made available!

I paid £220 for DDs first dose at Xmas. And it will be another £220 when she has the second dose.

What do other countries do?

This seems unacceptable from the government to not include men b in the vaccinations program. For people who have lots of kids it will become cost prohibitive. Shouldn’t just be for those that can afford it.

Oh I thought it was £110 per dose so £220 for 2. So I was thinking £440 for two kids (mine are 16 ans 17 so. We’d to do soon). I hope it won’t be £880 for both kids.

Might depend on the place you have them done. Mine might have included the appointment fee for the private GP.

Our NHS surgery wouldn't do them.