Northamptonshire students urged to get MenB vaccine before heading to university
Students from Northamptonshire heading to university this autumn are being urged to get vaccinated against meningitis B before Freshers’ Week.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is encouraging eligible school leavers and first-year university students to receive both doses of the MenB vaccine before arriving on campus.
New figures show MenB accounted for 97% of invasive meningococcal disease cases among people aged 15 to 24 in England last year.
More than 21,000 MenB vaccinations have been given in the East Midlands under a time-limited programme launched following outbreaks among young people earlier this year.
Dr Vanessa Macgregor, consultant in communicable disease control at UKHSA East Midlands, said close contact in university halls, lectures and social settings increased the risk of meningococcal infections spreading.
She said: “MenB is now the leading cause of meningococcal disease among young adults, and many students will not have received this vaccine as children.”
There were 348 confirmed cases of invasive meningococcal disease in England during 2025/26, including 28 deaths.
UKHSA said first-year university students face around seven times the risk of meningococcal disease compared with their peers who do not attend university.
Students are also being urged to ensure they have received their MenACWY vaccination.