On 16 July the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation set out formal advice for changes to the MenB immunisation schedule. The recommendation centres on a routine single-dose offer of the 4CMenB vaccine at around 15 years of age for those born on or after 1 May 2015 who received the infant programme.
Short, declarative sentences convey the scale. The first such cohort would reach eligibility in 2030. For adolescents born on or before 30 April 2015 the JCVI has given strong backing to a two-dose schedule at the same age. It has also endorsed a catch-up programme of two doses for those who would otherwise fall between the one-off 2026 offer and the future routine provision.
The Department of Health and Social Care must now weigh this evidence before any alteration to the NHS schedule. That process will test whether the clinical case, cost-effectiveness data and equity considerations align sufficiently for implementation.
Response to 2026 outbreaks
Separate from the longer-term routine proposal, a time-limited one-off MenB vaccination programme for eligible 17- to 25-year-olds, including those entering university this autumn, is already under way. It became available during summer 2026 after outbreaks in Kent and Berkshire produced fatal outcomes.
In March a cluster linked to a nightclub in Kent resulted in two deaths. Two months later a school student in Berkshire died following infection. These incidents, though uncommon, illustrated the speed with which invasive meningococcal disease can strike otherwise healthy young people.
Following the meningitis outbreaks in early 2026, a one-off programme for 2-doses of MenB vaccine is being offered to eligible young people this summer. We encourage everyone who is eligible to book an appointment online to receive the vaccine at a local pharmacy, in time for the second dose to be received before heading off to university or college. For protection, 2-doses of the MenB vaccine are necessary, at least 28 days apart.
Prof Wei Shen Lim KBE, chair of the JCVI, delivered that guidance in the official release. He added a direct acknowledgment of the human cost.
