Like many parents, I’ve been following the news about the recent meningitis outbreak with a heavy heart. Reports of young people becoming seriously ill, and tragically losing their lives, are devastating. It’s the kind of story that instantly makes you think about your own children and ask an important question: are they actually protected?
This week an outbreak linked to Canterbury and East Kent has resulted in the deaths of two young people and a number of others becoming seriously ill in hospital. In an update to Parliament, Wes Streeting described the situation as a “rapidly developing outbreak” and confirmed that public health teams were investigating multiple cases of meningococcal disease among young people.
Health officials have been working quickly to trace contacts, provide preventative antibiotics, and offer targeted vaccinations where needed. However, this situation has highlighted something many families may not realise – not all young people are protected against the most common strain of meningococcal meningitis.
Understanding Meningitis
Meningitis is a serious infection that causes inflammation of the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by viruses or bacteria, but bacterial meningitis can be particularly dangerous and can progress extremely quickly.
Symptoms can appear suddenly and include fever, headache, vomiting, sensitivity to light, confusion, and the well-known rash that doesn’t fade when pressed. In severe cases, it can lead to sepsis (blood poisoning), brain damage, hearing loss, limb loss, and even death.
The charity Meningitis Now works tirelessly to raise awareness of meningitis, support families affected by the disease, and campaign for better protection. They highlight that meningitis can affect people of any age but that babies, teenagers and young adults are among the highest risk groups.
The Different Meningitis Vaccines in the UK
One thing that can be confusing for parents is that there isn’t just one meningitis vaccine. There are several different vaccines that protect against different strains of the meningococcal bacteria.
Babies
Babies born in the UK today receive the MenB vaccine as part of the routine NHS childhood vaccination schedule, but that wasn’t always the case.
This programme was introduced in 2015 and the vaccine is given at:
- 8 weeks
- 16 weeks
- 12 months
This programme has been extremely successful in protecting young children against meningitis B.
However, children born before the vaccine was introduced did not receive it as part of the routine programme. That means many teenagers and young adults today simply missed out.
Teenagers
Some parents are confused and believe their teenagers are fully protected. This is because teenagers are routinely offered a different vaccine at school, called the MenACWY vaccine.
This protects against four other strains of meningococcal bacteria:
- A
- C
- W
- Y
While the MenACWY vaccine is important, it does not protect against meningitis B, which remains the most common cause of meningococcal disease in the UK.
University Students
Young people starting university are also encouraged to ensure they have had the MenACWY vaccine, particularly because living in student accommodation can increase the risk of transmission. They are able to get this from their local GP for free.
However, this vaccine still does not protect against MenB.
Why Teenagers and Students Are at Higher Risk
According to Meningitis Now, around one in four teenagers and young adults carry meningococcal bacteria in the back of their throat. In the wider population this figure is closer to one in ten.
Most people who carry the bacteria never become ill, but they can still spread it to others. Because teenagers and students spend time in close social environments such as schools, colleges, university halls and shared housing, the bacteria can spread more easily within these groups.
This is one of the reasons outbreaks can sometimes occur among student communities.
The Gap in Protection
Because the MenB vaccine was introduced in 2015 for babies, there is now a generation of teenagers and young adults who never received it.
Despite this, meningitis B remains the most common cause of meningococcal disease in the UK.
A vaccine does exist that can protect older children and adults against MenB, but for many families it is not available through the NHS.
Instead, it is often only available privately.
The MenB Vaccine and Private Access
The MenB vaccine commonly used privately is called Bexsero.
For older children and adults it usually requires two doses to provide protection.
Typical Private Costs
Private clinics typically charge between:
- £95 and £120 per dose
Because two doses are needed, the total cost is usually around £200 to £250.
For some families this may be manageable, but for many others it simply isn’t. The minimum wage in the UK is currently £12.21 an hour for over 21s. This means the vaccine can cost as much as 20 x the minimum wage. There is a clear unfairness here to low-income families, large families with more teenagers to vaccinate and vulnerable families.
This creates a clear inequality. Families who can afford the vaccine can choose to protect their teenagers, while others may not have that option.
Preventing a life-threatening disease should not depend on whether someone can afford to pay privately.
Where the Vaccine Can Be Obtained
For those who wish to access the vaccine privately, it may be available through:
- Private GP clinics
- Travel vaccination clinics
- Certain pharmacies
Some large pharmacy providers such as Boots UK and Superdrug sometimes offer private vaccination services, although availability can vary depending on location.
Anyone considering private vaccination should speak with a healthcare professional to ensure it is appropriate and available for their circumstances.
Since the recent outbreak of Meningitis B, it has been reported that students are having their private vaccinations cancelled. We could potentially now be looking at a shortage of the MenB vaccine in the UK.
Campaigning for Wider Access
Charities such as Meningitis Now have long campaigned for better awareness, prevention and support for those affected by meningitis.
Following the recent outbreak, there is growing discussion about whether wider access to the MenB vaccine should be considered for teenagers and students who missed the original infant programme.
There is currently a petition organised by Meningitis Now calling for the MenB vaccine to be made available more widely for young people.
If you would like to support this campaign, you can find the petition here:
How You Can Help
If this is something you feel strongly about, there are several ways you can help raise awareness.
You can sign and share the petition from Meningitis Now (linked above), which is calling for broader access to the MenB vaccine.
You can also contact your local MP to ask them to support greater protection for teenagers and students. Readers in England may wish to write to the UK Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, while those in Wales may also want to contact Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care. Click here for a sample letter to send to your MP regarding MenB Vaccine. Please edit and make it personal to you.
When enough people raise their voices about an issue, it helps ensure it is taken seriously by policymakers.
Final Thoughts
Stories like this outbreak are heartbreaking and serve as a stark reminder that meningitis is still a very real threat.
Vaccination programmes have saved countless lives over the years, and ensuring that protection is accessible to those most at risk should always be a priority.
If raising awareness, signing a petition or writing to a representative can help protect even one young person in the future, then it is worth doing.
If you would like to learn more about meningitis symptoms, support services, or the work being done to prevent this disease, the charity Meningitis Now has a wealth of information and resources available for families.
Sending all our love and support to the students and families affected at this time xxx
