{"id":1104676,"date":"2026-07-22T14:17:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T14:17:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1104676\/"},"modified":"2026-07-22T14:17:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T14:17:14","slug":"the-first-young-people-in-wales-received-their-life-saving-meningitis-b-vaccination-yesterday-nhs-wales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1104676\/","title":{"rendered":"The first young people in Wales received their life-saving Meningitis B vaccination yesterday | NHS Wales"},"content":{"rendered":"

The roll out of the\u00a0life saving\u00a0Meningitis B vaccine began\u00a0in Wales yesterday.\u00a0\u00a0For the first time the vaccination is\u00a0being offered to\u00a0young people\u00a0preparing\u00a0to start university or\u00a0residential\u00a0further\u00a0education\u00a0for the\u00a0first time\u00a0\u2013 a group known to be at significantly increased risk of\u00a0meningococcal\u00a0disease.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Young\u00a0people\u00a0in Wales\u00a0who\u00a0are\u00a0eligible for the\u00a0vaccination\u00a0are being\u00a0urged\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0two doses of the\u00a0vaccine\u00a0before they\u00a0head to\u00a0university or other\u00a0residential\u00a0education.\u00a0\u00a0The offer is a time-limited programme for\u00a0the\u00a0cohort of young people\u00a0born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008\u00a0and those who are under 25 years old and attending\u00a0residential\u00a0further or higher education for the\u00a0first time\u00a0this Autumn.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meningitis B is a rare but serious bacterial infection that can cause meningitis and sepsis. Vaccination against\u00a0MenB\u00a0has been available for infants since 2015 and is now being offered for the first time to this cohort of young people.\u00a0\u00a0This is because data shows that young people who are starting university face a seven times higher risk of contracting meningitis B disease compared to others,\u00a0in particular\u00a0those living in shared university accommodation.\u00a0\u00a0The\u00a0increased risk\u00a0is due\u00a0to\u00a0their\u00a0close living arrangements, shared social spaces and the mixing of large numbers of people from across the country and beyond.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0vaccination programme\u00a0is\u00a0being\u00a0delivered\u00a0in all the\u00a0UK nations\u00a0and\u00a0comes in response to\u00a0recent outbreaks of\u00a0meningitis B\u00a0including\u00a0in Kent\u00a0in March, which\u00a0tragically\u00a0resulted in\u00a0the deaths of two young people.\u00a0\u00a0The outbreak\u00a0highlighted the urgent need to protect young people \u2014 particularly those preparing to attend university for the first time \u2014 against this potentially fatal disease. The deaths linked to the Kent outbreak served as a stark reminder of how quickly meningitis B can overwhelm even a young, otherwise healthy person.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The vaccine is delivered as two separate doses, one month apart, and it is essential that eligible young people receive both doses to\u00a0be protected.\u00a0Public Health Wales is urging everyone in the eligible cohort to ensure they complete both doses of the vaccination course, even if they feel well and healthy.\u00a0\u00a0If needed, the second dose can be accessed at a student\u2019s new home in their university town, even if it is in another UK nation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Young people across Wales who are eligible for the vaccination are being encouraged to take up their offer from their local health board as soon as possible.\u00a017- and 18-year-olds\u00a0(those born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008) will receive a letter from their health board inviting them for an appointment.\u00a0\u00a0Those\u00a0born on or after 21 July 2001 (turning 25 on or after 21\u00a0July 2026)\u00a0and starting higher education or residential further education for the first time from Autumn 2026, will not receive a letter but should\u00a0contact their health board<\/a>\u00a0to find out where to get their vaccination in their local area.\u00a0\u00a0Getting vaccinated before arriving at university provides the best possible protection ahead of the autumn term.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dr Christopher Johnson, Head of the Vaccine Preventable Disease Programme at Public Health Wales, said:\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYesterday marks\u00a0a really important\u00a0moment for young people across Wales. Meningitis B can strike quickly and with devastating consequences, and young people heading to university for the first time are among those most at risk. We are urging everyone who has received an offer from their health board to come forward and get vaccinated \u2014 and to make sure they come back for that second dose. Two doses are what gives\u00a0you the full\u00a0protection you need. This vaccination could save your life.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Young people who have received a letter or contact from their health board are asked to book their appointment as soon as possible. Those who are unsure whether they are eligible should contact their GP or visit the Public Health Wales website for further information.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health, Nerys Evans, said:\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cA significant milestone was\u00a0reached yesterday as we begin rolling out this important protection to young people born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008 and those who are under 25 years old and attending residential further or higher education for the first time this Autumn.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMeningococcal B is a rare but devastating disease that can progress rapidly, and we know that those heading to university or residential further education for the first time face a significantly heightened risk. We have acted decisively to make sure this group receives the protection they need, and I now urge every eligible young person to take up their vaccination offer \u2014 and to make sure they return for that essential second dose.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dr Tom Nutt, Chief Executive of Meningitis Now, said:\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis summer\u00a0represents\u00a0an unmissable opportunity to protect thousands of young people against\u00a0MenB. We want every eligible teenager and young adult to take up the offer of a free vaccination.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis NHS programme is a hugely positive\u00a0step\u00a0and we are proud to support it. But we also know that protection cannot stop here.\u00a0That\u2019s\u00a0why our \u2018No Plan B for\u00a0MenB\u2019 campaign continues to call for a routine adolescent\u00a0MenB\u00a0vaccination programme, so future generations of young people receive this protection as part of everyday NHS immunisation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMeningitis can strike anyone, at any time, and its impact can be devastating. Vaccination is one of our most powerful tools to prevent meningococcal disease, but it only works if people come forward. We are asking parents, carers, schools, colleges,\u00a0universities\u00a0and young people themselves to spread the word and make sure nobody misses this opportunity.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

While the\u00a0MenB\u00a0vaccine offers strong protection, no vaccine can prevent against all strains of meningitis. It is vital that everyone \u2014 vaccinated or not \u2014 knows the signs and symptoms of meningitis, as the disease can progress very rapidly and\u00a0early treatment\u00a0is critical.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia to look out for include:\u00a0<\/p>\n