MenB vaccine to be offered  to  eligible young people this summer 

Following recent outbreaks of meningitis in the UK, the Scottish Government has announced plans to offer a new programme of Meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination for young people this summer.  

This time-limited programme will be offered to some older teenagers and some new college and university students who are at higher risk of exposure to meningococcal group B bacteria.   

The MenB vaccine will be offered to:

young people born between 1 March 2008 and 28 February 2009, and any others who were in S6 during the 2025-26 academic year, regardless of future education plans
undergraduate university entrants under the age of 25 who are starting for the first time in the academic year 2026-27, including international students
college entrants under 25 starting for the first time in the academic year 2026-27 while living away from home in shared student accommodation, including international students.

The programme will start in July 2026 and two doses are essential for full protection.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) is working closely with Scottish Government, NHS boards and wider partners across Scotland to develop plans for the roll-out of the MenB vaccine, which will help to protect those who are at higher risk of infection from this life-threatening disease. 

Although many young people will already have received the separate MenACWY vaccine, they may still be at risk of meningitis and sepsis caused by other meningococcal bacteria, including group B. That’s why it’s important to take up the offer of the MenB vaccine, which will provide increased protection against meningococcal disease. 

Further information on the roll-out of the programme will be shared as soon as it becomes available. Please continue to check NHS inform for the latest updates. 

Dr Daniel Chandler, Consultant in Public Health at PHS, said:  

“Meningitis and meningococcal sepsis can be very serious and life threatening if not treated quickly. Immunisation is the most effective way of preventing illness from meningococcal disease.  

“Public Health Scotland welcomes MenB vaccination being offered to young people who are at highest risk. We encourage all those who are eligible to take up the offer.”

Further information 

More information about the MenB vaccination programme for young people can be found on NHS inform at www.nhsinform.scot/menb-youngpeople. This page will be updated regularly.

More information on signs and symptoms of meningitis is available at www.nhsinform.scot/meningitis 

Vaccines offer the best protection against meningococcal disease. For information on how to check your own or your child's vaccination history, please visit: Getting your vaccinations | NHS inform 

All students, including those who have moved to Scotland from overseas, are encouraged to make sure they are up to date with vaccinations offered for free by NHS Scotland. Visit www.nhsinform.scot/vaccinesforstudents to find out more. 

PHS carefully monitors meningococcal disease in Scotland on an ongoing basis. Data on meningococcal disease in Scotland is available in our latest quarterly report .

Read our recent news story highlighting the publication of our Vaccination and Immunisation annual report for 2025, providing insights, analysis and intelligence from Scotland’s largest coordinated public health programme.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Have I/has my child been vaccinated against meningitis?

MenB vaccine, which protects against meningococcal group B bacteria, has been part of the routine childhood vaccination schedule in the UK since 2015.

Anyone born before 2015 will not have received MenB vaccine as part of their childhood schedule. More specifically, babies born on or after the 1 July 2015 were offered MenB vaccine.

Teenagers are routinely offered the MenACWY vaccine as part of the school immunisation programme, usually in S3 when they are about 14 years old. This vaccine protects against meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y. MenACWY does not protect against meningococcal group B.

I have/my child has missed their meningitis vaccine appointment. Who do I contact to arrange vaccination?

Children who have not yet received all their scheduled doses of MenB vaccine can be offered catch-up doses up to 2 years of age. To arrange an appointment call NHS Borders Vaccination Hub on 01896 809250.

Anyone who has not yet received their MenACWY vaccine can still get it up until their 25th birthday. This is especially important before starting university or college. To arrange an appointment, contact the Vaccination Hub on the number above.

Why can’t I/my child get MenB vaccine?

Recommendations about who should be offered vaccines are made by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which is an independent expert group that advises the government on vaccine policy. Their recommendations are based on protecting those at highest risk.

While it is very effective at protecting infants against meningococcal disease, the MenB vaccine offers limited impact on reducing nasopharyngeal (nose and throat) carriage and transmission, and it does not cover all circulating MenB strains. The vaccination takes between 3-4 weeks for immunity to fully develop.

There are currently no plans to offer MenB vaccine routinely to anyone other than infants as part of the routine schedule.

If anyone in Scotland needs the vaccine as part of an outbreak response, they will be contacted directly.

Am I at risk of meningitis?

Public health teams in England are responding to an outbreak of group B meningococcal disease in Kent. This situation is local to that area and there is currently no evidence of any increased risk in Scotland. Public Health Scotland are monitoring the situation closely and will provide any updates to current advice as appropriate.

Routine vaccinations provide good protection against infections including meningitis and meningococcal disease, but the bacteria can sometimes escape this protection. Young infants and adolescents are at highest risk of meningococcal disease, especially if not fully vaccinated, but anyone can become seriously unwell from meningitis or septicaemia (sepsis).

Acting quickly saves lives. It is vital for everyone to be aware of the signs and symptoms of meningitis and related disease, and what to do if you have concerns.

What are the symptoms of meningitis?

Symptoms can include:

fever
severe headache
vomiting or diarrhoea
cold hands and feet
drowsiness or confusion
rapid breathing
stiff neck
dislike of bright lights
joint or muscle pain
a rash that does not fade under a glass

Symptoms can appear in any order and may be mistaken for a cold, flu, or hangover - especially in teenagers and students. For further information, see Meningitis | NHS inform.

If you or anyone you know develops symptoms seek immediate medical help:

Call 111 or your GP if you’re unsure or worried about symptoms or you think you may have been exposed to someone with meningitis.

Call 999 or go to A&E if someone seems seriously unwell.

Useful contacts

http://www.nhsinform/menb-youngpeople

www.nhsinform.scot/meningitis 

Getting your vaccinations | NHS inform 

www.nhsinform.scot/vaccinesforstudents

Kent meningitis outbreak: March 2026 – UK Health Security Agency

Who is eligible for the new one-off MenB vaccine programme? – UK Health Security Agency

Meningitis - Symptoms, Causes and Treatments | Meningitis Now

National vaccination helpline: 0800 030 8013. Open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm on Saturday and closed on Sunday and bank holidays.