16 July 2026
Teenagers should be offered a vaccine on the NHS to protect against deadly meningitis B (menB), government advisers have recommended.
Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor of cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, said: "The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s recommendation to provide free Meningitis B vaccine for teenagers from the age of 15 is a vital public health intervention.
"While infants have received the MenB vaccine since 2015, today's older teenagers missed out on this. The decision to target teenagers makes sense. Teenagers are the second-highest risk group for contracting the bacteria that causes meningitis because high-density environments like schools and universities act as transmission hotbeds, where the spread of the pathogen is accelerated through coughs and close contact.
"Crucially, the MenACWY vaccine given routinely around the age of 14 does not protect against MenB, which now accounts for the vast majority of invasive meningitis cases in the UK. By protecting against the virulent pathogen in this highly social age group, the vaccinations would spare dozens from this potentially fatal disease. The government must approve the recommendations to save lives and prevent young people from suffering devastating, life-altering disabilities such as limb amputations, hearing loss, and brain damage."
For interviews, contact the University of Reading Press Office on 0118 378 5757 or pressoffice@reading.ac.uk
Read more expert comment from Dr Simon Clarke: Kent meninigitis outbreak
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