The Health Secretary has announced a small targeted vaccine rollout in the wake of the “unprecedented” meningitis outbreak in Kent.
The immunisation programme will target students living in University of Kent halls of residence in Canterbury to protect them from contracting meningitis B, Wes Streeting confirmed in the House of Commons today.
The rollout will commence across the next couple of days, with the Labour minister saying the majority of pupils would not be vaccinated against the infection already.
The MP said: “From 2015 the menB vaccine has been available on the NHS as part of routine childhood immunisations, but clearly most students would not be vaccinated.
“Given the severity of the situation, I can confirm to the House that we will begin a targeted vaccination programme for students living in halls of residence at the University of Kent in Canterbury, which will begin in the coming days.”
The programme “may expand further” while the independent body examines risk to wider groups, the UKHSA added.
The Health Secretary told MPs he will request the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to reassess elibility for meningitis vaccines.
In the same update, Mr Streeting described the rapidly developing issue as an “unprecedented outbreak”, announcing meningitis figures would be updated to the public everyday.
Wes Streeting announced there would be a ‘small targeted vaccine programme’
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The data will be available on the UK Health Security Agency website at 9.30am daily.
The outbreak, which has left two dead, has been linked to an event at Club Chemistry in Canterbury, which the affected had recently attended.
Today, Mr Streeting confirmed 15 cases of the potentially lethal disease so far.
He said: “This is the current situation – as of 9.30am this morning, UKHSA has confirmed four cases of group B meningococcal disease, with another 11 cases under investigation.
KENT’S MENINGITIS OUTBREAK – READ MORE:
There have been 15 confirmed cases of the disease across Canterbury and east Kent
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“The two deaths are associated with this cluster.”
A Year 13 pupil in Faversham and a student at the University of Kent have died in the outbreak, with others being treated in hospital.
Mr Streeting added: “The majority of cases link back to the Club Chemistry nightclub over the dates of March 5, 6 and 7 and their associated networks. Club Chemistry is currently closed voluntarily.”
The club owner said more than 2,000 people would have attended across the three dates. People who attended the 1,600-capacity venue and have symptoms are asked to call 999 or head to A&E.
Two Year 13 pupils from other schools have contracted meningitis B.
One student from Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys was admitted to hospital with meningitis, and another from Norton Knatchbull School in Ashford.
Those born before 2015 would not be protected against meningitis B unless they had the jab privately. It was introduced on the NHS for babies in 2015.
The jab is given to infants at eight weeks’ and 12 weeks’ old, and then a booster vaccine at one year.