MenB vaccine first doses for 18 and 19 year olds and new students end on 31 December

The free MenB vaccine offered to young adults in England since July has a hard cut-off for first doses of 31 December 2026. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Thursday that more than 580,000 of those eligible in the main age group had not yet had one.

The one-off programme covers two groups:

• everyone born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008
• people under 25 who started university, or residential further education, for the first time this autumn

Protection needs two doses at least 28 days apart. As long as the first is given by the end of December, the second remains available until 31 March 2027.

How many have had it

Up to 31 October, 228,297 of the 809,957 eligible 18 and 19 year olds had received a first dose, a rate of 28.2%. Of those, 157,169 had also had their second, or 68.8%. The agency says the true number vaccinated is probably a little higher, because older students in the programme are not yet counted. Figures for them are expected in the coming months.

UKHSA said there had been several outbreaks of meningitis B in England this year, with three deaths. It says first-year students are around seven times more likely to get meningococcal disease than people of a similar age who are not at university, because of how much they mix socially. Genome sequencing of the bacteria behind the severe outbreak in Kent in March also showed that highly invasive strains can appear suddenly, so further outbreaks are possible.

Where to get it

Appointments can be booked through the NHS website or by calling 119, which is free. The NHS booking service requires registration with a GP surgery in England. Pharmacies also offer walk-in vaccination, and the NHS says this does not require a GP registration. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own MenB services.