Man B vaccine - availability

[Member968405]

I booked my teenage daughter in for the Men B vaccine with a pharmacy recently - as all know it’s not available to teenagers and young people on the NHS. I was prepared to pay and travel for it, thinking it’s important at the moment.

However - the appointment got cancelled as there are no stocks available.

Meanwhile - a gay man told me today that he got the vaccine yesterday for free through his sexual health clinic. He said there was no age priority/ restrictions - just awarded to everyone.

AIBU to think that young people should be prioritised at the moment as they’re more vulnerable, and it should be given to all?

It's part of the Gonorrhoea vaccination programme. I imagine sexual health clinics currently have limited stock given the Kent outbreak

https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/menb-vaccine-for-gonorrhoea

Yes the same with Hep b vaccination, we had to pay for it for our children but free to men who sleep with men through their sexual health clinic.

@BeautifulSongsofLove apparently not restricted - he said it was freely available through the clinic

My question is really - whatever the usual
commitments, surely these should be reassessed in the event of an outbreak?

The information in the links above discusses current vaccination policy in these two high risk groups. If the MenB vaccination is still available to a high risk group not associated with the Kent outbreak than I presume this has been decided as the safest course of action by our public health experts.Those not considered at high risk of infection now will have to wait untill after the outbreak to access vaccinations.

Meanwhile, "...The government has decided to release 20,000 doses of MennB [sic] vaccine from NHS supply to support continuity of private provision, enabling up to 2,000 pharmacies to receive the vaccines..."

https://www.pharmacy.biz/kent-meningitis-cases-ukhsa-vaccine/

Contrary to what your friend has been lead to believe OP, sexual health clinics offer free vaccinations eg against gonorrhoea or Hepatitis B only to certain groups that might be at more risk of contracting it . For example I’ve had Hep B jabs done at mine due to having HIV and am regularly monitored to see if I still have antibodies.
Re Men B I understand that the situation is being monitored and between JCVI and UKHSA new guidance might be announced. The quote and link has more information which is updated regularly.
“The JCVI routinely reviews new evidence as it emerges and UKHSA will be advising that the JCVI considers this most recent outbreak to confirm their latest advice. UKHSA will provide further advice on other cohorts in due course.

https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2026/03/18/meningitis-b-outbreak-what-you-need-to-know/

Thanks so much to everyone for sharing your insight and knowledge. I’m very grateful and better educated now.