Time running out for young people to get first meningitis B vaccine dose in UK

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) figures show that 28.2% of 18- and 19-year-olds have received a first dose of the meningitis B vaccine in a one-off campaign. On 12 November 2026, the agency said more than 580,000 eligible young people had yet to get a first dose. Those who have not yet had one have until 31 December to do so.

The programme was announced by the UK government in June 2026. It offers young adults two doses of the meningitis B vaccine and is time-limited. According to the Guardian, two doses given at least 28 days apart are needed for protection, and a second dose will be available until 31 March 2027. Almost 70% of 18- and 19-year-olds who have had a first dose have already had their second.

Eligibility covers people born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008. It also extends to people under 25 who are starting university or residential further education, which includes courses where students live at the college, for the first time in autumn 2026.

The UKHSA has said that university freshers have about seven times the risk of meningitis B compared with peers who did not go to university. Meningitis B is a serious infection, and the agency's figures on freshers form the main reason the campaign focuses on students and young people starting out. An outbreak of meningitis B in Kent, along with clusters of cases in Dorset and Berkshire earlier in 2026, caused three deaths.

The peak season for invasive meningitis B infection is typically December to March. The UKHSA has urged young people who are eligible to come forward for the first dose before the deadline.