Meningitis B

[notafancyusername]

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

None seem to be available to book privately in Kent now

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

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

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

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.

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

This is by the government. Protection last for 36 months if all dose have been given.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/meningococcal-b-vaccine-information-for-healthcare-professionals/meningococcal-b-vaccination-programme-for-infants-information-for-healthcare-practitioners#the-menb-vaccine-bexsero

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

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

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 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?

No it provides zero protection to men B

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

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

Hopefully the antibiotics work

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

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

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 😬

I keep hearing in the media of parents bringing their darlings home from kent University, so that they can xause an outbreak in their home town 🙄

Do you have children? If they, at any age, were in a town with an outbreak of a life threatening infection wouldn’t you prefer to be then home? Also, sure in many cases it’s young adults choosing to go home not being forced. Also to add in, many halls of residences don’t allow students to stay in the holidays.

I got mine done at 8/10 as my dad nearly died of it aged 50. I thought it would
last them 20 years. Very upset to find it’s now just a few years and will get them redone at the first opportunity. I’ve booked in boots but sounds like it
may get cancelled. Neither are in uni but prime age group. I’d say it’s very unusual to have an outbreak like this. I can’t remember one in my
lifetime.

I think if either of my sons were currently at University of Kent (their friends were a few years ago) I’d tell them to queue for the antibiotics and then come home.

I looked at Boots for the men b vaccine just out of interest (for my son, not me) and all appointments for the month ahead are now fully booked.

Apparently it takes two months before you're fully protected from the vaccine so even those having their first dose now won't be fully protected for a while.

I don't live near the outbreak.

@Oxo01 I don't think you should be sharing so much detail on a public forum.