A prominent meningitis charity has issued an urgent call for the National Health Service to provide free vaccinations against meningitis B to teenagers and young adults. This demand comes amidst a concerning outbreak in Kent, where health authorities are investigating the strain involved, with experts suggesting it is likely meningitis B based on preliminary data from the UK Health Security Agency.
Vaccination Gap for Older Children
The NHS currently offers the meningitis B vaccine free of charge to infants, but this programme only began in 2015. Consequently, children born before that year have largely missed out on this crucial protection unless their families could afford private vaccinations, which cost approximately £220 per child. In contrast, the MenACWY vaccine, which guards against meningitis strains A, C, W, and Y, is provided to 14-year-olds, yet uptake remains at only 70 to 75 percent, still below pre-pandemic levels.
Charity Campaign: No Plan B for Men B
Meningitis Now has launched a new initiative titled 'No Plan B for men B' to address the escalating risk among unvaccinated adolescents and young people. The charity emphasises that meningitis B is one of the most prevalent causes of meningitis in the United Kingdom, particularly affecting children under five and individuals aged 15 to 24. During the COVID-19 pandemic, meningitis cases dropped to historic lows, but in recent years, instances of meningitis B have been rising steadily among teenagers and young adults.
The charity states: 'We have effective, life-saving vaccines against men B, which have been offered to babies on the NHS vaccination programme since 2015. However, those born before 2015 are mostly unvaccinated against men B. We believe the men B vaccine should be offered to teenagers and young people. It is vital that we protect this at-risk age group. There is no other way to prevent men B disease – we must vaccinate young people to protect them.'
Outbreak in Kent and Potential Response
The University of Kent in Canterbury has confirmed that a student was among two individuals who have died due to meningitis in the area. If laboratory testing confirms that the outbreak strain is preventable with an existing vaccine, health authorities could implement a catch-up vaccination programme for students in Kent who have not previously received the jab.
The campaign advocates for meningitis B vaccinations to be administered to those at highest risk, alongside a booster programme starting in 2030 to safeguard adolescents. Additionally, it calls for these jabs to be made available on the high street at a reasonable price, as current private costs pose a significant barrier for many families.
Expert Opinions and Challenges
Last summer, the meningitis subgroup of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises government ministers, determined that offering meningitis B booster vaccines to adolescents was not cost-effective. Meeting minutes reveal uncertainties among experts regarding the booster's effectiveness, despite its use in other developed nations.
Dr David Elliman, honorary associate professor in child health at University College London, explained: 'Part of the benefit of many vaccines is to stop people carrying the germ and passing it on to others. The vaccines against the A, C, W and Y strains do this very well, which is, in part, why the disease they cause is now very uncommon. This is not true for the MenB vaccine, which has to be made in a different way. It has little, if any, benefit in terms of reducing this carriage.'
He added that the meningitis B germ varies, and not all variants are prevented by the vaccine, with protection appearing less durable compared to the MenACWY vaccines. Nevertheless, infant uptake of the MenB vaccine typically exceeds 85 to 90 percent, indicating high acceptance among parents for younger children.
Student and Union Perspectives
Amira Campbell, president of the National Union of Students, highlighted the lack of awareness about meningitis, especially as young people transition to university. She stated: 'While we all expect the inevitable freshers flu, there are deadly viral strains also circulating which students need to be protected against, and aware of. The Meningitis vaccines should be offered on the NHS for young people – there should never be a cost barrier to life saving vaccines. And until then, universities and colleges themselves should consider offering it to their students as no lives should be lost to a preventable illness.'
This situation underscores ongoing debates about public health priorities, vaccine accessibility, and the need for comprehensive strategies to protect vulnerable populations from preventable diseases.
