More than 100 students seeking protection against meningitis were sent home from a vaccination centre at the University of Kent today after officials shut the queue early.
The Canterbury-based university cited capacity limitations as the reason for closing queues, with the clinic based out of the campus’ main sports hall required to wrap up operations by 5pm.
It comes after an outbreak of the disease among students late last week, believed to have spread in one of the city’s nightclubs, Club Chemistry, where students shared drinks and vapes.
Since the outbreak, two people have sadly died, with upwards of 20 cases reported including one case in London as the spread became declared a national incident.
The university began a rollout of vaccinations yesterday and posted on Facebook nursing staff could not accommodate additional patients within the remaining hours of operation.
“The team have been working incredibly hard to vaccinate as many people as possible,” the statement read.
Of the confirmed infections, nine have been identified as the menB strain, according to the UK Health Security Agency.
Security personnel were still redirecting students attempting to join the queue at 4.10pm, while dozens already waiting were instructed to leave.
Students queued around the campus for a vaccination in an attempt to curve the spread
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FileHayden Taylor, a 19-year-old radiography student at Canterbury Christ Church, reached the vaccination site at approximately 3pm, but was refused entry despite having already received antibiotics.
“We already knew it was going to be busy,” he said, noting he had attended Club Chemistry on March 12.
Another student, 21-year-old Isobel, studying English literature at the University of Kent, faced particular frustration after her mother made an 80-minute journey to bring her to the centre.
“It is very inconvenient. I’m coming back tomorrow and hope that they have got some,” she said.
The university confirmed the vaccination clinic will resume on Friday, operating from 9am until 5pm, with students advised to arrive and join the queue by 2pm.
LATEST ON THE MENINGITIS OUTBREAK
Meningitis transmission requires sustained proximity rather than brief encounters | GETTY
Medical staff needed to calculate how many vaccinations they could administer before the 5pm closure, with the aim of completing the final jab by 4.30pm.
This timing allowed for the mandatory 15-minute observation window required to monitor patients for any immediate adverse reactions following their injection.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced an expansion of the vaccination programme during a visit to the University of Kent earlier today.
Those who visited Club Chemistry between March 5 and its voluntary closure on March 15 are now being urged to seek both antibiotics and the vaccine.
“Furthermore, we’re expanding vaccination to anyone who’s previously been offered the prophylactic antibiotic,” Mr Streeting said.
The widened eligibility encompasses a substantial number of University of Kent students, some at Canterbury Christ Church University, and sixth-form pupils at four schools with known or suspected cases.
“These are proportionate steps to help us contain spread and we’re keeping that situation under review,” the Health Secretary added.
More than 8,500 courses of antibiotics have been distributed to eligible individuals in Kent since the outbreak began.