Should a vaccination programme be roll out nationwide for Meningitis B for teens/young adults

[SSAW2026]

Watching the recent outbreak in Kent.

The rapid decline of young people with Meningitis B and the sad death of 2 in such a quick time after symptoms onset, makes ne wonder if a full vaccination programme is needed nationwide.

https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2026/03/20/who-is-eligible-for-the-menb-vaccine-and-do-i-need-it-myself/

Currently giving vaccinations to people in contact with cases etc.

Don't be silly. they're not even giving antibiotics to all teenagers in Canterbury. A nationwide vaccination programme would cost billions.

So? They do plenty of meningitis vaccination programmes for other age groups, and there's a teen men ACWY jab. Are those also a waste of money then?

I agree with you, OP.

I think they should but I doubt they have the resources to implement right now. Any announcement at this moment would cause panic and the situation seems to be under control with all the cases still traceable and linked to original cluster.

I think they should vaccinate the 11-16 year olds who haven’t had it and uni students. I doubt they will though as Ive read it only gives 2-3 years protection if you have it when you’re older. So it’s not cost effective. I’d have paid for my kids to have it going into halls if I’d realised they weren’t protected. Think I just assume that the meningitis vaccine they’d already had covered them.

There are other vaccination programmes that they could incorporate this into. I don't believe its 'silly' to have vaccination programme for Meningitis B.

The students have all access to antibiotics too, which is helpful.

Perhaps offer privately so University students could take prior to starting. Close contact group.

Yes and should of been before any of this happened i can't believe it wasn't on the nhs list of vaccines

I think they should for young people in university and college or maybe 16 plus. A school friend died of Meningitis at college and I was going to get DS his Men B before university in September. Its expensive though - I don't think it should be a lottery for those who can afford it and those who can't. So either roll out a vaccination programme or offer it cheaply enough that everyone can afford it.

The current situation with Men B is tragic but unexpected in the sense that Men B is rarely serious in older DC/adults. Vaccinating older DC against Men B wouldn’t make public health or financial sense.

Strains A, C, W and Y are much more of a risk to older DC hence they get that vaccine around age 14/15.

All medicines, including vaccines, come with a risk and a cost so public health cannot just go around vaccinating whole populations of people if there’s no good empirical evidence base to do so. Unless evidence tells us there is some new mutant strain which is likely to cause serious illness in older DC or whatever, mass vaccination at this stage could do more harm than good.

As a vaccinator, I can tell you that even after the outbreak down south, many parents are still withholding consent to vaccination for their DC. They’d rather believe some shit conspiracy theory on Tik Tok than Public Heath England/Scotland.

Older secondary school DC can self-consent but rarely go against their parents’ wishes. This is especially true of migrant communities (not xenophobia- just what I see with my own eyes on a daily basis).

So YABU.

When these sorts of threads pop up it always amazes me how people with nothing to do with public health suddenly become experts on what we should be doing.

When there’s a car recall because of a potential problem, people don’t suddenly pipe up with expert mechanic opinions do they? They just accept the advice and take their car in if it’s affected.

So why do people think public health should “be doing something” just because they think they should?

Thanks for valid points.

I've not suddenly become an expert. I'm merely asking a question, thats what AIBU is for.

Beautifully put. It's the worst kind of scaremongering.

I'm in kent. It's all over our social media, including the following (of course, none is true):

(i) There are multiple deaths that are being hidden from the public (and identifying one particular hospital in Thanet where these are meant to have happened)

(ii) That immigrants are responsible for the virus

(iii) That Keir Starmer has said we could be in lockdown by May

I don't doubt you're well-intentioned, OP, but please stop. What's happened is tragic, but contained. You risk whipping up hysteria.

Respectfully, OP, it's not really a question, it's a suggestion, based on no real knowledge or understanding of the situation.

My OH works in a school. Loads of parents are keeping their kids off, against all the advice and guidance. It's causing harm.

Thank you, this is a great post.

"As a vaccinator, I can tell you that even after the outbreak down south, many parents are still withholding consent to vaccination for their DC. They’d rather believe some shit conspiracy theory on Tik Tok than Public Heath England/Scotland"

Sadly this.

Why can't you believe it?

Are you medically qualified in this field?

The doctors I've heard talking on the news don't even seem to think it's necessary in the local area never mind universally

The problem is the vaccination is in two shots, 4 weeks apart and does not become effective until a period of time after the second shot. Antibiotics, on the other hand, are effective immediately. Whilst this outbreak is contained, it makes sense to use antibiotics for people who may be at risk because if they are going to catch it between now and May, the vaccination would do nothing for them.

There may well be something public health that comes out of this outbreak, it may not be widespread vaccines though, it might be messaging about behaviour.

As this is a bacteria that is in saliva and seems centred (at least in the first instance) around a night club there might be something that the staff and patrons were doing that could have contributed.

There are theories (only theories, we need to wait for more information) about vapes, either infected staff not washing hands after vaping so contaminating glasses of drinks or the sharing of vapes (and/or glasses) among people including someone infected.

We could see messaging around not sharing vapes and washing your hands after you handle your vape if you touch the mouth end.

Ok, so then you think I'm being unreasonable suggesting a wider vaccine programme. Fair enough.

Yes. The family of the student who has died is now asking for all students to be vaccinated, as have many others who have lost their child.

It's all very well saying it's rare. Until it happens to your family or a cluster happens in your area.

If there is a vaccine that prevents the worse outcomes, it should be available to those at risk which I have read for this is 0-5 and 15-20.

Yes these things might reduce spread.

I saw that. The father issued a statement.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2d8gjejrgpo