Kent students to be given meningitis jabs, Health Secretary announces

A targeted vaccination programme will be rolled out for University of Kent students in response to the ongoing meningitis outbreak, the health secretary has announced.

Speaking in the House of Commons today, Wes Streeting said that students living in Canterbury Campus Halls of Residence will be the target of a small, Meningitis B vaccination programme in the coming days.

He also said he would be asking the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to ‘re-examine eligibility for meningitis vaccines’ in the wake of this deadly outbreak.

Mr Streeting added: ‘This is an unprecedented outbreak. It is also a rapidly developing situation.’

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that there had now been 15 cases of the disease, with investigations confirming that some of the cases were group B meningococcal disease.

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The watchdog also said that two people had died, with the University of Kent confirming that one of them was a student there.

The UKHSA said that vaccination programme may be expanded further as it assesses the ongoing risk to other populations.

The MenB vaccine has been available on the NHS since 2015 as part of routine childhood immunisations, but this means people aged over 10 years will not have been given the jab.

Mr Streeting also told MPs that 700 doses of precautionary antibiotics had so far been administered.

However, pharmacies are warning of significant vaccine supply constraints amid a surge in demand, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has said.

In response to a snap survey by the NPA, 87% of pharmacies reported seeing a considerable rise in requests for the meningitis vaccine, exceeding the supply available from wholesalers.

Some pharmacies reported receiving 30 to 40 booking requests this morning, as well as requests from patients pre-emptively trying to order antibiotics, the NPA said.

NPA chair Olivier Picard said: ‘We understand many patients, including parents with older teenagers, will be concerned by this situation and will be keen to vaccinate themselves or their loved ones.

‘However, pharmacies are having to manage constrained levels of supply, and many have told us they cannot order in new stock. We urge patients to be courteous and understanding towards their pharmacy teams, who are doing their best to manage very constrained stock levels, on top of managing a busy pharmacy.’

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A total of 300 pharmacies responded to the snap survey which the NPA conducted today.

The UKHSA has urged anyone who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury – a student nightclub attended by some of the cases between 5 and 7 March – to come forward for preventative antibiotic treatment as a precautionary measure.

This can be collected from the following sites:

• Gate Clinic, Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Ethelbert Road, Canterbury, CT1 3NG - open from 8.30am to 7.30pm on Tuesday 17 March.
• Westgate Hall, Westgate Hall Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2BT. Planned to be open from 8.30am to 7.30pm on Tuesday 17 March.
• Carey Building, Thanet Hub, Margate Northwood Rd, Westwood, Broadstairs, CT10 2WA. Planned to be open from 8.30am to 7.30pm on Tuesday 17 March.
• Senate Building at University of Kent, CT2 7NZ – open from 9am to 8pm on Tuesday 17 March.

UKHSA regional deputy director for the South East, Trish Mannes, said: ‘Investigations have now confirmed that some of the cases are Men B.

‘It is important to be aware that the MenACWY vaccine routinely offered to teenagers does not protect against Men B, which is why knowing the symptoms and seeking early treatment is so important.’

UKHSA has written to schools in Kent providing guidance and advice and continues to work with schools where cases have been identified.

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Meningitis is an infection of the meninges that can cause life-threatening sepsis and result in permanent damage to the brain or nerves. The onset of illness is often sudden and early diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics are vital, the UKHSA said.

Early symptoms, which may not always be present, include:

• A rash that doesn’t fade when pressed with a glass;
• sudden onset of high fever;
• severe and worsening headache;
• stiff neck;
• vomiting and diarrhoea;
• joint and muscle pain;
• dislike of bright lights;
• very cold hands and feet;
• seizures;
• confusion/delirium;

• extreme sleepiness/difficulty waking.

The MenACWY vaccination – routinely offered to teenagers in Years 9 and 10 – gives good protection against MenA, MenC, MenW, and MenY, the UKHSA said. However, it does not protect against all forms of meningitis such as MenB.