Meningitis Information and Vaccinations

There has been a recent meningitis outbreak in Kent. This has led to an increase in public concern and a high number of queries about meningitis and related vaccinations.

To help our patients, we have summarised the key information below.

Free NHS vaccines include:

• MenB vaccine – for babies at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 1 year
• 6‑in‑1 vaccine – for babies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks
• Pneumococcal vaccine – at 16 weeks and 1 year, plus a single dose for adults 65+
• Hib/MenC vaccine – at 1 year (for children born before 30 June 2024)
• MMR vaccine – at 1 year and 18 months
• MenACWY vaccine – offered through schools for teenagers aged 13–14. Anyone who missed their MenACWY vaccine can receive it free up to their 25th birthday.

If you missed a meningitis vaccine

• Babies and young children can receive missed MenB or MMR doses for free.
• Teenagers and students can arrange missed MenACWY or MMR vaccines before starting or when joining university/college.
• International students under 25 are also eligible for free routine vaccines.

There is no NHS catch‑up programme for MenB for people born before 1 May 2015.

NHS information on meningitis:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis/

NHS information on meningitis vaccines:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis/vaccination/