UKHSA marks World Meningitis Day (5 October) with a call for young people across the South West, especially freshers, to get vaccinated against this devastating disease
As the world marks World Meningitis Day, UKHSA is urging young people across the South West, particularly freshers starting university this autumn, to come forward for a vaccine that could save their lives.
The warning follows UKHSA's first interim report on MenB vaccine coverage[1], published on Thursday 1 October, for the 2025/26 school year 13 cohort only (those born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008) in the one-off vaccination offer targeting young adults in England.
The findings show coverage in the South West:
- was 30.7% (23,643 vaccinated out of 77,063 eligible individuals) up to 20 September 2026, ahead of the England average of 26.6%
- is gradually increasing as young adults have more time to be vaccinated (the report figures are for the first 9 weeks of the vaccination offer)
- varies substantially by ICB, sex, deprivation and ethnicity, with coverage ranging from 24.5% in Somerset to 33.7% in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire
With over 53,000 eligible young people in the South West still unprotected, UKHSA is using World Meningitis Day to urge all those eligible, particularly freshers, to ensure they are protected with 2 doses as soon as possible. Two doses are essential for protection, with the doses needing to be administered at least 28 days apart. Students can get the vaccines from local pharmacies and can book via the NHS website: Book a MenB vaccination appointment - NHS.
Data show that young people starting at university are at increased risk of meningococcal disease due to social mixing patterns and other risk factors, with the risk for students in their first year of university around 7 times higher than young people of a similar age who do not go to university.
In addition, the recent bacterial genome sequencing study, which explained why the MenB outbreak in Kent in March was so severe, also crucially highlights the unpredictability of the bacteria. As highly invasive strains can emerge suddenly and unexpectedly, similar outbreaks could occur again.
The 3 outbreaks this year, in Kent, Dorset and Berkshire, tragically caused 3 deaths, and some of those who survived the infection are now facing lifelong health consequences. The Dorset outbreak is a stark reminder, closer to home for people across the South West, of the risks this disease poses.
In July 2026, a national one-off MenB vaccination offer was introduced for young adults, targeted at young people who were in school year 13 in the 2025 to 2026 academic year, and those aged under 25 who are starting university, or starting at some further education colleges and living at further education accommodation, for the first time in autumn 2026.
For more information on Meningococcal disease see: MenB vaccine for children - NHS; or for students to book or check eligibility for a vaccine see: Book a MenB vaccination appointment - NHS.
Further advice and support can be found at Meningitis in students - Information and advice
[1] Coverage is defined as the proportion of the eligible population that have been vaccinated with MenB during the one-off programme. This report measures cumulative coverage, so estimates include vaccinations given at any time after the start of the programme.
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