Meningitis vaccination queries
We are receiving a high number of queries about meningitis vaccination following the recent outbreak linked to Kent and Canterbury.
If you or your child have symptoms that could suggest meningitis or serious infection, do not use this page. Please seek urgent medical help.
MenACWY and MenB are different vaccines
MenACWY protects against meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y.
MenB protects against meningococcal group B.
One vaccine does not replace the other.
MenACWY
You may be able to have MenACWY on the NHS if:
· you missed the routine teenage MenACWY vaccine and are still under 25
· you are under 25 and starting university for the first time and have not had MenACWY before
· you have certain medical risk factors, including asplenia, hyposplenism or splenic dysfunction, complement disorder, or treatment with complement inhibitor therapy
· you are a laboratory or microbiology worker with exposure to meningococcal isolates where occupational vaccination is indicated
· you are part of a specific public health or outbreak recommendation
MenB
There is no general NHS catch-up programme for MenB for healthy older children or adults.
MenB is usually only available on the NHS if:
· you have certain medical risk factors, including asplenia, hyposplenism or splenic dysfunction, complement disorder, or treatment with complement inhibitor therapy
· you are a laboratory or microbiology worker with exposure to meningococcal isolates where occupational vaccination is indicated
· you are in a specifically identified group as part of the current outbreak response
Current outbreak-related MenB vaccination
For the current outbreak, NHS MenB vaccination is only being offered to patients who have been directly contacted or specifically advised they are eligible by UKHSA, a school, a university, or another official service. This includes people who have been offered preventative antibiotics as part of the outbreak response. Eligible groups may change as the outbreak response develops.
If you have not been directly contacted or specifically advised that you are eligible, you are unlikely to be eligible for NHS MenB vaccination.
Contacting the practice
Please contact the practice about meningococcal vaccination only if one of the following applies:
· you think you may be eligible for MenACWY under the criteria above
· you think you may be eligible for MenB under the criteria above
· you have been directly contacted or specifically advised by UKHSA, a school, a university, or another official service that you may be eligible as part of the current outbreak response
When contacting us, please have ready:
· your age
· whether you are asking about MenB or MenACWY
· whether you have been directly contacted by UKHSA, a school, or a university
· whether you have been offered preventative antibiotics as part of the outbreak response
Please do not contact school immunisation services or CHIS directly to ask us to confirm your vaccination status. We will review your GP record.
Private MenB vaccination may be available elsewhere for patients who are not eligible on the NHS.