Meningitis Vaccinations

We are receiving a high number of enquiries regarding who is eligible for the MenB vaccination and whether patients have received this. Please check your child’s ‘red’ childhood vaccination book all parents are allocated at the birth of their child which should have a record of your child’s vaccination history, including MenB vaccination.

The current eligibility for the Men B vaccination is as follows:

• Young people and children born after 2015 will have received a vaccination course for Meningitis B (at 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 1yr) as part of the routine vaccination program.

• Those born before 2015 will not have received a Meningitis B vaccine from the NHS and are currently not eligible to receive the vaccination from the NHS. It is available privately from pharmacies and other private services.

• Children who did not receive the vaccination due to them from the NHS who were born after 2015, and who are currently under 2yrs of age would be eligible for a catch-up vaccination from practices.

• However, those children who missed their vaccination and who are now over 2yrs of age would not be eligible and would need to seek a private alternative.

Vaccination has been extended to everyone who has been offered preventative antibiotic treatment as part of this outbreak.

At the present time, this includes:-

Students at the University of Kent who are normally resident on the Canterbury Campus, including those who may have now travelled home. Some staff living or working in these Halls of Residence have also been offered antibiotic prophylaxis.
Students in relevant halls of residence or other private dwellings who attend other universities in Canterbury and have been advised to take an antibiotic due to a close contact.
Individuals who attended Club Chemistry from 5 March until it closed voluntarily on March 16.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer the MenB vaccination to anyone who is not listed as eligible above.

Thank you