MenB jab for students: free until 31 December, but only 27% have had a first dose

England is running a one-off MenB vaccination campaign, launched after the outbreak among University of Kent students in March 2026 and later clusters in Weymouth and Reading. The jab has been free at community pharmacies since 20 July. On 1 October UKHSA published the first coverage report: of 799,840 people in the school Year 13 age group, 212,549 had had a first dose by 20 September — 26.6%. This year's three outbreaks caused three deaths, and some survivors are living with lifelong consequences.

Who is eligible for the free MenB vaccine in England?

Three groups: anyone born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008, and anyone born on or after 21 July 2001 who is starting university for the first time this autumn or starting at an eligible residential further education college for the first time.

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International students are eligible on the same terms as UK students — the programme sets no condition on nationality or visa. People born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008 are sent an invitation; everyone else self-refers.

You are not eligible if you have completed a two-dose Bexsero course in the last five years, if you are a postgraduate, or if you are not entering higher or further education for the first time this autumn.

What is the deadline?

First doses are offered until 31 December 2026 and second doses until 31 March 2027; after that the one-off programme closes.

The extra time is deliberate — it covers late arrivals and international students who reach the UK after the summer. But the two doses must be at least four weeks apart, so leaving the first one until late December means chasing the second in the new year.

How many doses, and where do you get them?

Two doses at least four weeks apart, given at community pharmacies rather than at a GP surgery.

You can book through the NHS MenB appointment page, which requires you to be registered with a GP in England. Some pharmacies run walk-in sessions: those sites are listed through the walk-in finder on the same NHS page, and no GP registration is needed for them. If you cannot book online, call 119 free of charge — an interpreter can be arranged.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own booking services; the English page does not cover them.

Why are first-year students being targeted?

First-year university students are around seven times more likely to get meningococcal disease than people of the same age who do not go to university.

The reason is how freshers live and mix: halls of residence, a large number of new contacts and close social contact in the first weeks of term. MenB peaks in autumn, which is why the campaign is tied to the start of the academic year.

How many have been vaccinated, and where is coverage worst?

26.6% nationally as of 20 September 2026, with London the worst region at 21%.

The South East has the highest coverage at 31.6%. Young women are well ahead of young men: 31.5% against 21.9%. The widest gap is by deprivation — 45% in the least deprived areas against 11.8% in the most deprived. By ethnicity, coverage is highest among young people of Chinese background (42.9%) and Indian background (36.5%), with White British at 31.5%.

The report covers only the first nine weeks of the offer and only the Year 13 cohort, so the final figure will be higher.

Does the vaccine give full protection?

No: Bexsero protects against most but not all MenB strains, and it does not stop the bacteria spreading to other people.

That is why UKHSA still asks vaccinated people to know the symptoms. According to the NHS they come on suddenly: a high temperature, very cold hands and feet, a stiff neck, joint and muscle pain, a severe headache that keeps getting worse, eye pain in bright light, vomiting and diarrhoea, confusion, extreme sleepiness and seizures. A meningitis rash does not fade when a clear glass is pressed against the skin — but not everyone gets a rash, and you should not wait for one. Early symptoms are easily mistaken for flu, a stomach bug or a hangover. If you suspect meningitis, call 999 or go to A&E.

What should parents of students do now?

Check the student's date of birth against the two eligibility rules and, if they qualify, book the first dose without waiting for an invitation.

Invitations go only to people born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008. Older first-year students — those born on or after 21 July 2001 — have to self-refer and will not get a letter. If the first dose is done, book the second straight away: one dose does not protect.