High street pharmacies in England are now providing a free Meningitis B vaccine to young people aged 17-25, including university and college students. This initiative follows a significant outbreak in Kent earlier this year, aiming to protect those most at risk.
A new trial in Australia suggests the Meningitis B vaccine (4CMenB) does not prevent gonorrhoea infections, despite its use in at-risk men in the UK. The GoGoVax trial found no significant difference in infection rates between vaccinated and placebo groups.
A one-off Meningitis B vaccine programme will be offered to ~1 million young people in England, Wales, and Scotland, targeting those in their last year of secondary school and 18-25-year-olds entering university/residential further education, due to concerns over recent outbreaks in Kent, Weymouth, and Reading.
