University Freshers in the East Midlands are urged to get MenB vaccine to protect them against the infection

Credit: Onclusive News for UKHSA

Students heading to university in the next few weeks are being urged to get vaccinated against Meningitis B (MenB) after new figures revealed the disease accounted for 97% of invasive meningococcal disease cases among 15 to 24-year-olds in England last year.

UKHSA is urging eligible school leavers and first-year university students to come forward for both doses of the MenB vaccine before arriving on campus, where close contact in halls of residence, lectures and social settings can increase the risk of infection spreading. To date, there have been 21,283 MenB vaccinations in the East Midlands as part of this time-limited programme and there is still time to get a vaccination sorted.

Dr Vanessa Macgregor, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control at UKHSA East Midlands, said: “This is an exciting time for young people who are going to university for the first time, and for those returning to continue their studies. We are reminding everyone that student life can bring young people into close contact with large numbers of new people, which increases the risk of meningococcal infections.

“MenB is now the leading cause of meningococcal disease among young adults, and many students will not have received this vaccine as children. Getting vaccinated takes just a few minutes, but it could help protect against a life-threatening illness.

“Whether you’ve been vaccinated or not, it is also important to recognise the signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia so that you can get urgent medical advice if you or a friend becomes seriously unwell. Early symptoms can easily be mistaken for a hangover or ‘freshers’ flu’, so it’s important not to wait to see if things improve.”

Invasive meningococcal disease remains a serious infection that can cause meningitis and septicaemia and can become life-threatening within hours. During 2025 to 2026, there were 348 confirmed cases in England, including 28 deaths.

In March 2026, an unprecedented MenB outbreak in Kent was linked to 21 cases among students and other young people in the Canterbury area. Two further outbreaks, involving three or more cases each, were subsequently identified in Dorset and the Reading area. Several young people died and some survivors are now living with life-changing health complications.

In response, a one-off, time-limited MenB vaccination programme was launched this summer, targeting those at greatest risk, primarily school leavers and first-year university and higher education students.

More than 246,000 doses of the MenB vaccine have already been delivered through the programme. However, thousands of eligible young people have yet to come forward for vaccination ahead of Freshers’ Week.

The call comes as evidence shows that first-year university students face a risk of meningococcal disease around seven times higher than their peers who do not attend university.

Dr Tom Nutt, Chief Executive of Meningitis Now, said: “Meningitis remains a very real and potentially devastating threat to young people. With MenB responsible for 97% of cases among 15 to 24-year-olds in England last year, students cannot afford to underestimate the risk.

“The disease can strike suddenly and have life-changing consequences within hours. Vaccination remains our best defence and we have seen too many young lives devastated by meningitis.

“If you are eligible, please come forward for both doses of the MenB vaccine before arriving at university. Making vaccination part of your preparations for the new academic year could help protect you from a disease that can change lives forever.”

While the MenB vaccine provides protection against most meningococcal B strains, it does not protect against every cause of meningitis and septicaemia. This makes awareness of the symptoms especially important.

Anyone experiencing symptoms should seek urgent medical advice. Symptoms can appear in any order and may include:

• High temperature
• Cold hands and feet
• Vomiting
• Confusion
• Rapid breathing
• Muscle and joint pain
• Pale, mottled or blotchy skin (which may be harder to recognise on brown or black skin)
• Spots or a rash (which may be harder to recognise on brown or black skin)
• Headache
• Stiff neck
• Sensitivity to bright lights
• Extreme drowsiness or difficulty waking
• Seizures (fits)

Students are also reminded to check that they are up to date with their MenACWY vaccination, which protects against meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y. The vaccine is routinely offered to teenagers and remains available up to their 25th birthday for anyone who missed it at school.