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A University of Sussex spokesperson said all incoming UK students had been sent NHS guidance and vaccination booking information before arriving on campus. They said the university would continue working with public health partners to encourage vaccinations and support students who need a second dose. The spokesperson added that MenB vaccinations would also be available through the university's community pharmacist.
Alicia Siraj, interim deputy director of public health for NHS England South East, said the community pharmacy scheme was "making it easier for eligible young people to get protected". More than 20 young people, mostly students, were infected in the UK's worst outbreak of meningitis B earlier this year, in a cluster linked to a Canterbury nightclub. All required hospital treatment, while nine were admitted to intensive care and two died.
Scientists have since said they have discovered why the bacteria responsible for the outbreak proved so dangerous. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said an exchange of genetic material from other bacteria found naturally in some people's throats created a new variant that spread between clubgoers and caused severe illness. Experts stress that the MenB vaccine currently being offered to more than a million young people starting university provides protection against the strain.
The NHS said first-year university students were around seven times more likely to develop meningococcal disease than young people of a similar age who do not attend university. The disease can cause sepsis and become life-threatening in a short period of time. Health officials said that while outbreaks remained uncommon, the disease could have a profound impact on individuals, families and communities.
Source: BBC
