Three young people are dead, two of them teenagers killed in an unprecedented meningitis B outbreak in Kent in March. Now the government has announced a one-off vaccination programme that will offer the MenB vaccine to around one million young people across England, Wales and Scotland.
Juliette Kenny, 18, died in the Kent outbreak, which infected more than 20 people. Aaron Mills, 18, a student at John Moores University in Liverpool, died from meningitis in January 2026 while home for the Christmas holidays. His family heard screaming from his room 30 minutes after he went back to bed with a headache. “His eyes were open but he was fitting and unresponsive,” his mother told the BBC. “We didn’t know until afterwards that there are different strains of meningitis.”
“One million young people to get MenB vaccine after three deaths in Kent, Dorset and Berkshire outbreaks.”
The outbreaks in Kent, alongside clusters in Weymouth in Dorset and Reading in Berkshire, killed three young people in total. Health officials say the clusters involved different strains of MenB, all covered by the vaccine Bexsero.
The one-off programme will begin in late July. It is aimed at pupils currently in their last year of secondary school — those born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008 — and people under 25 starting university or residential further education for the first time this autumn, including international students. Two doses, given at least 28 days apart, are needed for maximum protection, which is thought to last at least six years.
Health Secretary James Murray said: “The Kent outbreak and recent clusters indicate a possible change to the way MenB affects people. While we assess the latest evidence, we are acting now to help protect young people at highest immediate risk as they enter university and residential colleges this autumn.”
Eligible teenagers in Year 13 will be contacted directly through the NHS app, text, email or letter. Those under 25 starting university can book appointments directly with community pharmacies. The first dose will be offered from 20 July, with the second in August. Anyone who misses the second dose because of holidays can still get it in September.
According to the UK Health Security Agency, the risk of MenB in first-year university students is substantially greater than for those not at university, because of close and prolonged contact in halls of residence and at social events where the bacteria can spread through kissing, sharing vapes and drinks. Cases of invasive meningococcal disease tend to peak in October and November, making the timing of the programme critical.
Murray urged all eligible young people to come forward: “By offering two doses of the jabs ahead of the academic year, we will help reduce the risk of serious illness and larger outbreaks of this horrendous disease.” Aaron Mills’ father said: “The impact this has had on the family and friends is horrific. The pain is unbearable.”