Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleHundreds of thousands of students across England preparing for university this autumn are now eligible to book vital Meningitis B (MenB) vaccine appointments at pharmacies. The one-off vaccination programme targets Year 13 pupils aged 17 and 18, and individuals under 25 attending university or other residential further education, requiring two doses administered at least 28 days apart. Jabs will commence from 20 July, following a government announcement last month prompted by serious meningitis outbreaks, including a particularly severe incident in Kent. First-year university students face approximately seven times higher risk of MenB compared to their non-university peers of a similar age, due to the bacteria spreading through close contact in shared living spaces. Health officials and charity representatives urge eligible students to get vaccinated to protect against the severe and rapidly progressing infection before starting university. In fullMeningitis B: Teenagers warned to get jab after deadly university outbreaksMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

The risk of MenB for first-year university students is about seven times higher than people a similar age who did not go to university

Meningococcal B can cause serious, life-threatening problems including inflammation of the lining of the brain and sepsis (blood poisoning).

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or…

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or…

Thousands of students will be eligible for a free meningococcal group B (MenB) vaccine from July 20

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or…