IMPORTANT – INFORMATION ABOUT MENINGITIS OUTBREAK AND INFORMATION ABOUT ROUTINE MENINGITIS VACCINATION PROGRAMMES

Dear Practice Colleagues,

UPDATE: Apologies for the error in the original email about eligibility for MenB and thank you to those that queried it; bringing it to our attention.  Please see below the updated communication.

Thank you for all you are doing to support vaccinations and immunisations delivery, especially at a time when there is a Meningitis outbreak in Kent.

You will likely already have received the attached letter via the RVOC cascade but attaching it here as well for ease.

We are also aware that many practices are receiving a high volume of calls on meningitis related queries, requests for vaccination and/or a check on one’s MenB or Men ACWY vaccination status. Please see the information below re national vaccination programmes

VACCINE ELIGIBILITY

Green book Chapter 22 provides detailed information on meningococcal disease and the vaccination schedule.

• Individuals eligible for the NHS MenB immunisation programme are as per Green Book
• Individuals (including those who are new to the UK) who have missed the opportunity to receive their adolescent dose of MenACWY (usually offered around the age of 14 years) should be offered a dose up to their 25th birthday.

CHECKING VACCINATION STATUS

 For queries on a child’s vaccination status, practices are asked to:

• Check all eligible patient immunisation records have been updated following notification of vaccination events
• Opportunistically check for and offer missing Meningitis vaccinations or other missing vaccines.
• Assume unimmunised: in the absence of a documented or reliable record, the current guidelines advise assuming the individual is unimmunised and should be provided the necessary vaccinations. 

School Age Immunisation Service (SAIS) providers in London have confirmed that all clinical records of vaccination for adolescent vaccination (including MenACWY) have been sent to GP practices and CHIS. You may wish to check that you have uploaded the immunisation event onto the GP clinical record. CHIS are unable to provide confirmation to parents as they are not a patient facing or clinical service. Please DO NOT advise a parent/guardian to contact CHIS or the School-aged service for information about Meningitis vaccination status.

To help you with any interest and queries about meningococcal disease, please see additional assets and resources (attached and below).

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis/vaccination

Guidance: Meningococcal ACWY programme: information for healthcare professionals https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/menacwy-programme-information-for-healthcare-professionals/meningococcal-acwy-programme-information-for-healthcare-professionals

You can read more on the cases in UKHSA’s media statement: Cases of invasive meningococcal disease confirmed in Kent – GOV.UK

There is also a very helpful blog from UKHSA which provides information for vaccination. What is meningitis? Symptoms, risks and how to protect yourself – UK Health Security Agency

Can meningitis be prevented?

Several vaccines offered free of charge by the NHS can help protect against certain causes of meningitis and septicaemia:

• MenB vaccine: For babies given at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 1 year
• 6-in-1 vaccine: For babies given at 8, 12 and 16 weeks
• Pneumococcal vaccine: Two doses for babies given at 16 weeks and 1 year; single dose for adults aged 65+
• Hib/MenC vaccine: For babies given at 1 year (if born on or before 30 June 2024)
• MMR vaccine: For babies given at 1 year, with a second dose at 18 months
• MenACWY vaccine: For teenagers aged 13 to 14

The Men B vaccine does not protect against all MenB bacterium types. This is why we always raise awareness of signs and symptoms alongside the available vaccines.

Am I protected from MenB by childhood vaccines (MenACWY)?

The MenB vaccine was added to the NHS immunisation schedule for infants in 2015, providing protection for babies and young children in the UK. It is separate from the MenACWY.

If you are a teenager or young adult born before 1 May 2015, you will not have received the MenB vaccine as part of the NHS schedule.

What should I do if I’ve missed my meningitis vaccine?

To get the most benefit, it is important for you or your child to have your vaccines when they are offered or as close to that time as possible.  Young children who have missed one or more dose of the MenB vaccine can have this free of charge before their second birthday and missed MMR or MMRV vaccine doses can be given at any age.

Teenagers can arrange to have vaccines they have missed. This is especially important before starting university or college. If that’s not possible, they should make arrangements with their new GP as soon as they can after term begins. All GP practices should be able to offer free missed MenACWY to students who are under 25 years as well as MMR vaccines to eligible students. International students in the same age group are also eligible for these routine vaccines.

If you were born before 1 May 2015, there is no NHS catch up programme for the MenB vaccine.

Can I have the MenB vaccine privately?

The MenB vaccine can be accessed privately through high street pharmacies, private GP providers and travel clinics. For those aged over 2 years, the vaccination course consists of 2 doses.

Please contact our team directly at england.londonimms@nhs.net with any queries about the programmes or our ICARS teams for clinical queries at england.london.immunisationqueriescars@nhs.net

Kind regards

London Immunisation Team

NHS England – London Region