Meningitis Advice For Parents

Following the very sad news of two recent deaths in Kent linked to meningitis (strain B), we wanted to share some helpful information about meningococcal disease and the vaccinations available to protect against it.

Since 2015, the Meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine has been included in the national childhood immunisation programme and is routinely given in infancy. Children born before 2015 would not have received this vaccine as part of the NHS schedule, although it is available privately. The MenACWY vaccine, which protects against four strains of meningitis (A, C, W and Y), is routinely offered
to young people in Year 9 through the school-based immunisation programme. If your child missed their Year 9 vaccination, we are able to offer catch-up appointments locally—please contact our team if you would like to arrange this.

For those who would like to learn more, a recent webinar for parents and carers about the DTP and MenACWY vaccines is available to watch here. If your child has not yet received the MenACWY vaccine, you can complete a consent form using this link

Please note that the MenACWY vaccine is offered from Year 9 onwards and cannot be given before this stage.

If you have any concerns or would like further information about meningitis, we recommend visiting:
https://www.meningitisnow.org