Students given meningitis vaccination deadline after dozens turned away

Health & Fitness
20 Mar 2026 • 3:35 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • More than 100 students were turned away from a meningitis vaccination clinic at the University of Kent's Canterbury campus due to capacity issues, despite a rising number of confirmed or suspected cases.
  • The university announced the clinic would reopen the following day, Friday, from 9am to 5pm, advising people to join the queue by 2pm.
  • Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed an expansion of vaccination eligibility to include anyone who attended Club Chemistry between March 5-15, sixth-formers at four schools, and other university students in Canterbury.
  • As of Wednesday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reported 27 confirmed or suspected meningitis cases, an increase from 20, with two student deaths linked to the outbreak.
  • Professor Robin May of the UKHSA described the situation as a "very unusual outbreak," noting experts are investigating why the meningitis may have become more transmissible, possibly due to individual behaviours or bacterial evolution.

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