14/07/2026
Starting in England today, the NHS will offer one million young people a free life-saving MenB meningitis vaccine to help protect them against the disease.
Our CEO, Dr Tom Nutt, responds to the vaccine programme:
"Meningitis can strike anyone, at any time, and its impact can be devastating. Vaccination is one of our most powerful tools to prevent meningococcal disease, but it only works if people come forward. We are asking parents, carers, schools, colleges, universities and young people themselves to spread the word and make sure nobody misses this opportunity."
"This NHS programme is a hugely positive step and we are proud to support it. But we also know that protection cannot stop here. That's why our ‘No Plan B for MenB’ campaign continues to call for a routine adolescent MenB vaccination programme, so future generations of young people receive this protection as part of everyday NHS immunisation."
Eliana Shaw-Lothian was in her first year at university when she fell ill with meningococcal meningitis. She was living in halls when she became seriously unwell. It was thanks to her flatmates and her parents that she was rushed to hospital in time to save her life. Eliana wants to urge all eligible young people to get their two free shots:
“If myself and my friends were still 18 and eligible, I would tell them all to get the MenB vaccine. It only takes a short amount of time, but it could make a huge difference. At 18, it’s easy to think you’re invincible, and I certainly did. Looking back, I’d never pass up the chance to reduce the risk of going through what I experienced with meningitis. I’d tell my friends not to put it off; just book it and get it done.”
To read more about the one-off programme and how to book vaccines, click here: https://bit.ly/4yhKLXD