Free NHS meningitis jab available for some teenagers – what you need to know

The MenB vaccine was added to the UK NHS childhood immunisation programme for babies born on or after 1 July 2015. All babies are now offered it.

But it means teenagers and young adults over the age of 11 have not received this jab.

Young babies are vaccinated because they are more likely to get invasive infections more often than other age groups, and their bodies are less likely to be able to fight them off.

However, research suggests the MenB vaccine doesn’t necessarily prevent transmission of the infection from person to person, doesn’t target all the different B bacteria strains and doesn’t provide long-term protection.

UK vaccine experts have therefore concluded that it isn’t cost effective to offer the MenB vaccine to all adolescents.

But they do want everyone who is eligible to come forward and get the vaccine because it can prevent serious illness.

Around 10,000 people in the Kent region will have already received jabs, as part of the response to the March outbreak.