South East freshers offered meningitis B jabs on campus amid NHS drive
UKPulse Health Desk
First-year university students in the South East are being offered meningitis B vaccinations on campus as part of an NHS initiative. This follows a severe outbreak in Kent earlier this year.
- NHS England is running a one-off programme offering free meningitis B vaccinations to eligible first-year university students.
- Clinics are being held at universities including Surrey, Kent, and Chichester during Freshers Week.
- Nearly 50,000 students in the South East have received a MenB vaccination since July, the highest total in England.
First-year university students across the South East are being offered meningitis B vaccinations on campus as part of an NHS drive. This programme aims to enhance protection against the disease, with clinics taking place during Freshers Week at universities such as Surrey, Kent, and Chichester.
Thousands of students are eligible for these free vaccinations. The initiative follows a severe outbreak of meningitis B in Kent earlier this year, which infected over 20 young people, mostly students. All required hospital treatment, with nine admitted to intensive care and two fatalities.
Since the temporary programme began in July, nearly 50,000 students in the South East have received a MenB vaccination, making it the region with the highest total in England. NHS England has commissioned community pharmacies to operate these on-campus clinics, targeting students considered to be at the highest immediate risk.
Two doses of the vaccine are required for protection, administered at least 28 days apart. The first dose must be received by 31 December, with second doses available until 31 March 2027.
Why this matters: First-year university students are around seven times more likely to develop meningococcal disease than young people of a similar age not attending university. The disease can cause sepsis and become life-threatening rapidly.
What this means for you: If you are an eligible first-year university student in the South East and have not yet started or completed the two-dose MenB course, you are encouraged to come forward as soon as possible. The first dose must be received by 31 December.