The “devastated” family of an 18-year-old girl who died in the meningitis B outbreak in Kent have called for a mass rollout of the vaccination as confirmed and suspected cases have risen to 29.
Juliette Kenny is one of two young people confirmed to have died in the “explosive” outbreak.
Her family have now backed growing calls to extend NHS access for the menB vaccine to teenagers and young adults.
It comes after more than 100 students were turned away while queuing for a jab in the major vaccine rollout after officials at the University of Kent’s Canterbury campus stopped letting people in “due to capacity”.
The number of cases of meningitis linked to the outbreak in Kent has risen to 29, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says, up from 27 on Thursday.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said the eligibility criteria for having a jab would be widened, so that anyone who attended the nightclub at the centre of the outbreak from 5 March until it closed on 15 March 15 would be offered the jab, alongside sixth-formers at four schools and more university students in Canterbury.
An urgent public health alert has been issued to NHS staff, urging them to be vigilant for signs and symptoms.
Key Points
- Family of girl, 18, who died after meningitis outbreak call for mass jab rollout
- Cases rise to 29
- Experts investigate why bacteria spread more easily
- At least 100 students turned away from vaccine queue
- Recap: 20,000 vaccines from the NHS supply will be made available for private jabs
Vaccine should protect against current strain, officals say
10:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Bexsero vaccine for menB used on the NHS should offer protection against the strain identified in the outbreak, officials said.
The UKHSA said in a statement: “As part of investigations, UKHSA laboratories have completed an initial genetic analysis of a meningococcal strain isolated during this outbreak.
“Results have confirmed that the Bexsero vaccine currently being offered in Kent should provide protection against the strain identified.“The strain belongs to a group of bacteria known as group B meningococci, sequence type 485 belonging to the larger clonal complex ST-41/44.
“Similar strains have been circulating in the UK for around five years but detailed analysis of the outbreak pathogen is required.”
It said it was publishing the available data “so that national and international partners can also carry out further scientific research”.
As of 5pm on Thursday, some 2,360 vaccinations have been given and 9,840 doses of antibiotics to those affected by the outbreak.
Experts still trying to establish whether bug has become more transmissible
09:50 , Nicole Wootton-CaneHealth chiefs have said experts are still trying to work out if the meningitis bug has become more transmissible in the recent cases.
The chief scientific officer of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Professor Robin May, told Times Radio the scale of the current outbreak os “very unusual”.
He said typically the UK sees about one case of meningitis a day on average in the UK.
“This is obviously a much bigger number than that and so there’s something unusual about this outbreak,” he continued. “We are focusing our investigations on two possibilities, which both may be true, or neither.
“So one is that there is something about the particular setting that has enabled this bacteria to spread very well in that particular club setting. We don’t know that, there’s no evidence for that at the moment, but that’s one course of investigation.
“The other possibility is that the bacteria itself has changed in a way that makes it more transmissible, perhaps more likely to cause disease. Many of us carry menB as a bacteria without any problems in the back of our throats all the time. So it could be that this is a bacteria that’s just more likely to progress to disease.
“We don’t know that – we’ve been working, as you can imagine, around the clock since the discovery of this outbreak to try and understand more about it, including doing DNA sequencing, genome sequencing for this strain and that is due back very, very soon. That analysis is extremely complex. The genome for this bacteria is about 100 times bigger than Covid so it’s a lot more complicated.
“So it will take us some time to analyse that, but we are very much focusing our attention on whether anything has changed in the bacteria that might make it more likely to spread or cause disease.”
Asked if such an outbreak could happen again, he said: “Well obviously that’s something we’re very conscious of.”
He said “we’ll be mindful both of the possibility of this particular strain, for example, re-emerging in the future, but also general principles that we’ll learn about the bacteria.
“As with all pathogens, there’s always much more we can learn, and by learning more about how they work, we hope to develop better ways to prevent them causing disease in the future.”
BREAKING: Cases rise to 29
09:36 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe number of suspected and confirmed meningitis cases have risen to 29, from 27, the UKHSA has said.
“As of 5pm on 19 March, 18 laboratory cases are confirmed and 11 notifications remain under investigation, bringing the total to 29,” the agency confirmed.
Meera Chand, strategic response director, said lab tests show the vaccine should protect against the current strain of the infection.
“The latest laboratory analysis by UKHSA confirms that the vaccine being offered to students and other eligible groups should cover this circulating strain of MenB, with further analysis ongoing to understand more about the strain,” she said.
“It’s vital that people are aware of the signs and symptoms of invasive meningococcal disease and seek immediate medical attention if they or anyone they know develops symptoms.
“The risk to the wider population remains low and UKHSA continues to work with partners to identify contacts and offer necessary treatment.”
'Staffing issue' led to people being turned away from vaccine centres, health chief says
09:19 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe chief scientific officer of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Professor Robin May, said a “staffing issue” led to people being turned away from the queue for a meningitis B vaccine.
More than 100 students were told to leave the queue by staff on the University of Kent Canterbury campus on Thursday afternoon, after the university said “nursing staff are unable to see any more people within the clinic’s remaining opening hours today”. The clinic closed at 5pm.
Prof May told Times Radio: “Yesterday, it was a staffing issue. To emphasise – we are not short of vaccine. Yesterday, demand exceeded the ability of staff to fulfil it within the time allocated.
“I would like to really stress that the frontline response for people who are exposed is prophylactic antibiotics, which have now all been given, so people who have been exposed have had antibiotics to protect them from disease.
“The vaccination that we’re offering now is for follow-up protection, but those students who are on antibiotics are already protected.
“Nonetheless, we are encouraging people who are eligible to get their vaccine clearly, but the fact that they might have had to wait a day or two is not an immediate health risk.”
Around 700 people in queue for jabs on Friday morning
09:07 , Nicole Wootton-CaneAround 700 staff and students were in queue to get a vaccine at the University of Kent by 8.45am on Friday morning, according to estimates by Press Association reporters at the scene.
One student near the front said she had joined the queue at 7.55am.
The clinic is operating from 9am to 5pm, with students told to join the queue by 2pm.
Who is eligible? New meningitis vaccine expansion explained
09:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe meningitis B vaccines will now be offered to more people affected by the outbreak in Kent.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed the news during a visit to the University of Kent on Thursday.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that as of Wednesday, 15 cases of meningitis have been confirmed and a further 12 were under investigation. This takes the total to 27 cases of either confirmed or suspected meningitis, up from 20 on Wednesday.
You can read more about who is eligible for the rollout below:
Watch: Meningitis B expert answers your questions as Kent outbreak leaves two dead
08:45 , Nicole Wootton-CaneCase update to be given this morning
08:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneHealth officials are expected to give a case update this morning as they address media in Kent.
Currently, we are aware of 27 suspected and confirmed cases of meningitis. Nine of 15 confirmed cases are known to be caused by menB.
The media briefing is expected to take place at 11am. We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates in this blog.
People already queuing for vaccines in Kent, reports say
08:20 , Nicole Wootton-CanePeople are already queueing at vaccine centres in Kent, according to BBC news reports.
It comes as several new temporary clinics open to deal with the demand for jabs.
More vaccination centres to open across Kent on Friday
08:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneMore vaccination centres are opening across Kent tomorrow following an expansion of the Government’s meningitis immunisation programme.
One facility, located at Faversham Health Centre, will begin administering jabs at 9am on Friday and will remain open through Saturday.
Additional clinics are also scheduled to open tomorrow at the Vicarage Lane Clinic in Ashford and at the University of Kent, NHS England has said.
The Gate Clinic at Kent and Canterbury Hospital has been open today and will be open through the weekend for walk-ins.
Vaccinations are now available to anyone who attended the Club Chemistry venue from 5 March to 15 March, year 12 and 13 pupils at affected schools, students and staff at the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church university, and close contacts of confirmed or suspected cases.
Latest updates as vaccine rollout set to resume
08:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneGood morning, here are the latest headlines on the meningitis B outbreak in Kent:
• The family of Juliette Kenny, the 18-year-old who died in the outbreak, have paid tribute to her and called for the jab to be available on the NHS for teenagers and young people
• Students are expected to flock to vaccine centres in Kent again on Friday as more locations open
• Health officials will face questions over their handling of the outbreak later today
• Suspected and confirmed cases of meningitis linked to the outbreak have risen to 27
• More than 100 students in Kent were turned away from a queue on Thursday
• On Thursday, 40 MPs signed a letter addressed to the health secretary calling on the government and health officials to work with universities across the country on catch-up vaccination programmes
• More than 8,500 antibiotics and 1,600 vaccines have been given to eligible people amid the outbreak
Family of girl, 18, who died after meningitis outbreak pay tribute to ‘beautifully positive’ daughter
07:36 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe father of an 18-year-old girl who died following a meningitis outbreak in Kent has described his family’s devastation as "immeasurable" as he called for better protection for young people.
Juliette Kenny died on Saturday, March 14, one day after first showing symptoms including vomiting and discolouration in her cheeks, her father Michael Kenny said.
Mr Kenny added his daughter had been "fit, healthy and strong" before her death, having completed her PE A-level practical assessment on Thursday, March 12.
Juliette, described by her father as having a "beautifully positive energy", is one of two students who have died following the meningitis B outbreak in the county.
Mr Kenny said "no family should experience this pain and tragedy" and that "this can be avoided", adding he wanted his daughter’s legacy to be "lasting change".
You can read more below:
Family pay tribute to teenager who died after meningitis outbreak
Officials to face questions after students turned away from meningitis jab queue
07:14 , Nicole Wootton-CaneHealth officials are expected to face questions after more than 100 students in Kent were turned away while trying to get a meningitis vaccine on Thursday.
On Friday, health partners are due to attend a media briefing in the county on the latest updates regarding the deadly outbreak.
The University of Kent said it had closed the vaccine queue on its Canterbury campus “due to capacity” on Thursday because it needed to finish the clinic by 5pm.
More than 100 people who had been waiting for a jab were turned away, according to Press Association estimates of the queue size.
MPs call for nationwide student jabs scheme
07:00 , Jane DaltonMPs have urged the government to work with universities across the UK to introduce catch-up vaccination programmes for students.
Some 40 MPs have signed a letter to health secretary Wes Streeting saying it is a tragedy a meningitis B vaccine exists but is not routinely offered to students.
Nine of the 15 confirmed cases are known to have been caused by menB.
Babies have routinely been offered a vaccine against MenB only since 2015.
Pleased to have joined with @JessicaToale and 39 other MPs for a cross-party letter asking the Secretary of State to consider wider rollout of the MenB vaccine. pic.twitter.com/sSgVTwA9Df
— Rosie Duffield MP (@RosieDuffield1) March 19, 2026
MenB vaccine protection begins after two weeks
06:00 , Jane DaltonThe jab most likely to be used in the targeted vaccination programme - Bexsero - covers up to 80 per cent of menB strains.
There will be some protection around two weeks after the first dose, although two doses are needed for full protection.
An interval of at least four weeks is recommended between the first and second dose.
The two-dose vaccine course in Kent is being given alongside antibiotics as an additional precaution.
Some experts estimate that protection lasts for up to three years.
Opinion: I’m 24 – and on the front line of a vaping disaster
05:00 , Jane Dalton
I’m 24 – and I’m on the frontline of a nationwide vaping disaster
Thousands of antibiotics given as NHS jabs made available privately
03:45 , Jane DaltonSo far more than 8,500 antibiotics and 1,600 vaccines have been now given to eligible people in Kent amid the meningitis outbreak.
The UK Health Security Agency says 20,000 vaccines from the NHS supply will be made available to the private market to ease the demand at pharmacies from people who want to pay for a jab. Some pharmacies say supplies have run low.
Most people already vaccinated were inoculated against MenACWY strains, not the MenB strain.
Be careful about sharing vapes, Streeting warns
02:30 , Jane DaltonHealth secretary Wes Streeting said young people should be cautious about sharing vapes, but added he was not the "fun police".
He said that as a "rule of thumb" it is "not hygienic to share things like vapes around your mates".
Mr Streeting told told BBC Newsbeat : "It's absolutely fine for people to go about living their lives in a normal way and there is no reason for me to be the fun police today and tell students across the country that they shouldn't be going out this weekend and doing the things that they would normally do in a nightclub."
Experts investigate why bacteria spread more easily
01:15 , Jane DaltonProfessor Robin May, UKHSA chief scientific officer, said this was a very unusual outbreak and that experts were looking at why meningitis in these cases may have become more transmissible.
Prof May told the BBC: "Typically, you would expect to see sporadic cases of meningitis, typically individual patients. Most days, actually, we would see one in the UK.
"What is particularly remarkable about this case, and unexpected about this case, is the large number of cases all originating from what seems to be a single event.
"There are two possible reasons for that. One is that there might be something about the kind of behaviour that individual people are doing.
"The other possibility is the bacteria itself may have evolved to be better at transmitting."
Prof May said the bacteria can be transmitted by sharing utensils, cups and vapes.
More vaccination centres opening
Thursday 19 March 2026 23:59 , Jane DaltonMore vaccination centres are opening across Kent on Friday following an expansion of the government's meningitis immunisation programme.
One facility, at Faversham Health Centre, will begin administering jabs at 9am on Friday and will remain open on Saturday.
Other clinics are also scheduled to open at the Vicarage Lane Clinic in Ashford and at the University of Kent, NHS England has said.
The Gate Clinic at Kent and Canterbury Hospital will be open throughout the weekend for walk-ins.
Vaccinations are now available to anyone who attended the Club Chemistry venue from 5 March to 15 March, year 12 and 13 pupils at affected schools, students and staff at the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church university, and close contacts of confirmed or suspected cases.
At least 100 students turned away from vaccine queue
Thursday 19 March 2026 23:00 , Jane DaltonMore than 100 students in Kent queuing for a vaccine were turned away.
The University of Kent said it had closed the queue on its Canterbury campus "due to capacity" because it needed to finish the clinic by 5pm.
The university wrote on Facebook: "The queue has been closed as nursing staff are unable to see any more people within the clinic's remaining opening hours today.
"The team have been working incredibly hard to vaccinate as many people as possible."
The university said the vaccination clinic would reopen on Friday from 9am to 5pm, and advised people to be in the queue by 2pm.
At 4.10pm on Thursday, students trying to join the queue were turned away by security staff.
It is understood staff wanted to vaccinate the final person at 4.30pm to allow for the necessary 15-minute observation period for immediate side-effects.
Risk to public low, says Streeting, on visit to university
Thursday 19 March 2026 22:00 , Jane DaltonHealth secretary Wes Streeting visited the vaccination centre at the University of Kent, and talked to nurses, where he said the outbreak of meningitis was not like Covid, and the risk to the general public was extremely low.
He announced that sixth-formers at four schools where there are known or suspected cases will now be offered the vaccine.
"These are proportionate steps to help us contain spread and we're keeping that situation under review," he said.
Streeting promises more people will get jabs
Thursday 19 March 2026 20:59 , Jane DaltonHealth secretary Wes Streeting has pledged that more people affected by the meningitis outbreak in Kent will be given vaccines.
Mr Streeting said more would get protection against meningitis B, which has been the strain affecting those who fell ill after visiting Club Chemistry in Canterbury.
He said anyone who attended the club from 5 March until it closed on 15 March would be offered the jab, alongside sixth-formers at four schools and more university students in Canterbury.
Currently, nine of the 15 confirmed cases are known to be caused by menB.
On a visit to the University of Kent, Mr Streeting said: "We are now encouraging anyone who attended Club Chemistry from 5 March until it voluntarily closed to come forward for both antibiotics and vaccination.
"Furthermore, we're expanding vaccination to anyone who's previously been offered the prophylactic antibiotic.
"That will include a large number of students here at the University of Kent.
"And it will include some students at Canterbury Christchurch University.
"It will also include sixth-formers at four schools where there are known or suspected cases.
"These are proportionate steps to help us contain spread and we're keeping that situation under review."
Mr Streeting said the outbreak was not like Covid and that the risk to the general public was extremely low.
Watch: Growing queue at University of Kent meningitis vaccination centre
Thursday 19 March 2026 20:30 , Rebecca WhittakerGovernment ‘playing Russian roulette’ by not offering all young people meningitis B jab, campaigners say
Thursday 19 March 2026 20:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Government ‘playing Russian roulette by not offering all young people meningitis jab’
Recap: 20,000 vaccines from the NHS supply will be made available for private jabs
Thursday 19 March 2026 19:30 , Rebecca WhittakerUKHSA said the NHS Kent and Medway website will be updated shortly with vaccination sites for all those eligible for a menB jab.
It added that 20,000 vaccines from the NHS supply will be made available to the private market, to ease current demand experienced by pharmacies.
These will enter the private market within around 48 hours, it said.
Pharmacies have been inundated with people wishing to pay for menB jabs privately.
Mother backs push for meningitis jab for teenagers after son’s near-death battle
Thursday 19 March 2026 19:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Mother backs push for meningitis jab for teenagers after son’s near-death battle
Everyone offered antibiotics can now get the vaccine
Thursday 19 March 2026 18:40 , Rebecca WhittakerMeningitis B vaccines will now be offered to everyone who has been offered preventative antibiotic treatment as part of this outbreak.
More than 900 University of Kent students have been vaccinated against menB since a targeted vaccination programme started on Wednesday.
Kent meningitis outbreak latest - eligibility for the MenB vaccine has been expanded. Keep up with the outbreak on our blog post.
— UK Health Security Agency (@UKHSA) March 19, 2026
🔗 https://t.co/xhhIekjbUL pic.twitter.com/fwbSZA4d0v
Nine-month-old baby girl battles meningitis in intensive care as outbreak continues
Thursday 19 March 2026 18:20 , Rebecca Whittaker
Nine-month-old baby girl battles meningitis in intensive care as outbreak continues
Who can now get the menB vaccine?
Thursday 19 March 2026 18:00 , Rebecca WhittakerMeningitis B vaccines will now be offered to everyone who has been offered preventative antibiotic treatment as part of this outbreak.
This includes University of Kent students who live on the Canterbury Campus and other relevant halls of residence; close contacts of confirmed or suspected cases, and students in four education settings in Kent where cases have been confirmed.
Anyone who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5th and 15th March will also be offered a vaccine and antibiotics as a precaution after one suspected case revisited the nightclub before it shut voluntarily.
Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said: “By extending the vaccination programme to everyone who has been offered preventative antibiotics, we are taking an important additional step to protect those most likely to have been exposed.
“The message is simple: if you have had the antibiotic, you are also eligible for the vaccination.”
Recap: What strains does the vaccine protect against?
Thursday 19 March 2026 17:40 , Rebecca WhittakerThe vaccine that is most likely to be used in the targeted programme – Bexsero – covers up to 80 per cent of menB strains.
There will be some protection around two weeks after the first dose, but for full protection two doses are needed. The second is given at least four weeks later.
Experts said the jab will “greatly increase students’ immunity to most menB strains but not straight away”.
Protection can last years after two doses of the jab, with some experts estimating that it lasts for up to 36 months.
What is meningitis B? Symptoms, vaccine and what to avoid as NHS staff issued urgent warning
Thursday 19 March 2026 17:20 , Rebecca Whittaker
Why were people turned away from the vaccine queue?
Thursday 19 March 2026 17:00 , Rebecca WhittakerAbout 100 people who had been waiting for vaccines were turned away.
People who were trying to join the queue at 4.10pm were turned away.
Those trying to join were told that medical staff administering vaccines had to work out how many people they could fit in before the queue officially closed at 5pm.
It is understood they wanted to vaccinate the final person at 4.30pm, in order to give them time to sit and wait for 15 minutes afterwards – as every person who has received the jab has had to do.
Watch: Growing queue at University of Kent meningitis vaccination centre
Thursday 19 March 2026 16:45 , Rebecca WhittakerStudent who went to the nightclub turned away from vaccine queue
Thursday 19 March 2026 16:30 , Rebecca WhittakerA student who went to the nightclub at the centre of the meningitis outbreak was also turned away from the vaccine queue.
Hayden Taylor, 19, a radiography student at Canterbury Christ Church, went to the Club Chemistry nightclub on March 12.
He was turned away by security staff when he arrived at the centre at around 3pm on Thursday, despite the vaccines being given until 5pm.
“I had the antibiotics already,” Mr Taylor said. “We already knew it was going to be busy.”
It comes after the University of Kent was forced to close the meningitis B vaccine queue due to "capacity".
Student says she was turned away from vaccine queue
Thursday 19 March 2026 16:15 , Rebecca WhittakerIsobel, 21, an English literature student at the University of Kent, was turned away after a 80-minute drive to the centre by her mother.
She said: “My mum has had to drive me an hour and 20 minutes to get the vaccine.
“It is very inconvenient. I’m coming back tomorrow and hope that they have got some.”
Watch: Kent chief medical officer insists meningitis vaccine 'highly effective' as rollout begins
Thursday 19 March 2026 16:00 , Rebecca WhittakerGovernment ‘playing Russian roulette’ by not offering all young people meningitis B jab, campaigners say
Thursday 19 March 2026 15:45 , Rebecca WhittakerGovernment ‘playing Russian roulette by not offering all young people meningitis jab’
What strains does the vaccine protect aganst?
Thursday 19 March 2026 15:30 , Rebecca WhittakerThe vaccine that is most likely to be used in the targeted programme – Bexsero – covers up to 80 per cent of menB strains.
There will be some protection around two weeks after the first dose, but for full protection two doses are needed. The second is given at least four weeks later.
Experts said the jab will “greatly increase students’ immunity to most menB strains but not straight away”.
Protection can last years after two doses of the jab, with some experts estimating that it lasts for up to 36 months.
Kent campus as quiet as Covid, food truck owner says
Thursday 19 March 2026 15:15 , Rebecca WhittakerA food truck owner on the University of Kent campus said it has been the quietest week since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Daow Coombes, 55, owner of A Taste Of Thailand, said she usually serves 200 portions a day from her food truck, but sold just 10 on Thursday.
“The students get their injections and then hide in their bedrooms,” she said. “It’s been the quietest week since Covid.”
Ms Coombes, who said she has run the business for around 10 years, said she would likely close early today.
20,000 vaccines from the NHS supply will be made available for private jabs
Thursday 19 March 2026 15:01 , Rebecca WhittakerUKHSA said the NHS Kent and Medway website will be updated shortly with vaccination sites for all those eligible for a menB jab.
It added that 20,000 vaccines from the NHS supply will be made available to the private market, to ease current demand experienced by pharmacies.
These will enter the private market within around 48 hours, it said.
Pharmacies have been inundated with people wishing to pay for menB jabs privately.
Students say Kent University took too long to respond to outbreak
Thursday 19 March 2026 15:00 , Rebecca WhittakerA student has said the university did not respond quick enough to the outbreak.
“It took three days to get the information. That’s precious time that could have been avoided,” politics student at the University of Kent who gave her name as Kamila said.
Speaking from the queue outside the vaccine centre, the 23-year-old claimed she tried to get the vaccine on Wednesday but the queue was “atrocious”.
She added: “I’m going home and I’m not coming back on campus for a while.”
Also queuing for a vaccine was Mia Shenton, 23, a psychology student, who welcomed the university’s decision to move exams online.
“Definitely the best thing they could have done,” she said. “A lot of people were saying that if they were not moved online they would not turn up.”
Uni forced to close meningitis B vaccine queue
Thursday 19 March 2026 14:59 , Rebecca WhittakerUniversity of Kent was forced to close the meningitis B vaccine queue due to "capacity".
In a post on social media site X, the University of Kent said: The queue has been closed as nursing staff are unable to see any more people within the clinic’s remaining opening hours today."
"The team have been working incredibly hard to vaccinate as many people as possible."
The clinic will reopen again on Friday to Sunday.
It comes as the vaccine is now being offered to University of Kent students who live on the Canterbury Campus and other relevant halls as well as anyone who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5th and 15th March.
MenB vaccine update - 19 March - 2.50pm
— University of Kent (@UniKent) March 19, 2026
The queue for the MenB vaccine is now closed due to capacity.
The queue has been closed as nursing staff are unable to see any more people within the clinic’s remaining opening hours today.
The team have been working incredibly hard to… pic.twitter.com/mhxV5Yzc7c
Meningitis vaccine offered to everyone who has received antibiotics
Thursday 19 March 2026 14:56 , Rebecca WhittakerMeningitis B vaccines will now be offered to everyone who has been offered preventative antibiotic treatment as part of this outbreak.
This includes University of Kent students who live on the Canterbury Campus and other relevant halls of residence; close contacts of confirmed or suspected cases, and students in four education settings in Kent where cases have been confirmed.
Anyone who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5th and 15th March will also be offered a vaccine and antibiotics as a precaution after one suspected case revisited the nightclub before it shut voluntarily.
Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said: “By extending the vaccination programme to everyone who has been offered preventative antibiotics, we are taking an important additional step to protect those most likely to have been exposed. The message is simple: if you have had the antibiotic, you are also eligible for the vaccination.”
'It's not hygienic to share things like vapes around your mates,' warns Streeting
Thursday 19 March 2026 14:50 , Rebecca WhittakerHealth Secretary Wes Streeting has insisted he is not the “fun police” as he told young people to cautious about sharing vapes.
He said: “Firstly, it spreads through close personal contact.
“That can include things like kissing, sharing vapes, sharing drinks, living in shared accommodation, which is why we’ve been so proactive in getting antibiotics and vaccines out to students, and now all club-goers who were at Club Chemistry in Canterbury from March 5 onwards.
“But the risk remains extremely low. In any normal year we would expect to see at least 350 cases and that’s roughly one a day.”
He said that as a “rule of thumb” it is “not hygienic to share things like vapes around your mates.”
He added: “It’s absolutely fine for people to go about living their lives in a normal way and there is no reason for me to be the fun police today and tell students across the country that they shouldn’t be going out this weekend and doing the things that they would normally do in a nightclub.”
