- Hundreds of thousands of students across England preparing for university this autumn are now eligible to book vital Meningitis B (MenB) vaccine appointments at pharmacies.
- The one-off vaccination programme targets Year 13 pupils aged 17 and 18, and individuals under 25 attending university or other residential further education, requiring two doses administered at least 28 days apart.
- Jabs will commence from 20 July, following a government announcement last month prompted by serious meningitis outbreaks, including a particularly severe incident in Kent.
- First-year university students face approximately seven times higher risk of MenB compared to their non-university peers of a similar age, due to the bacteria spreading through close contact in shared living spaces.
- Health officials and charity representatives urge eligible students to get vaccinated to protect against the severe and rapidly progressing infection before starting university.
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