19/03/2026
Guidance – Meningitis B Outbreak in Kent
Dear Patients/Parents/Guardians
We are aware some of you may be concerned due to the current outbreak of Meningitis B in Kent.
Please be assured we are closely monitoring the situation and national guidance.
There are no specific concern or outbreak in Dorset at this time, but the NHS is reminding people to stay aware of the signs and symptoms of meningitis and to check that they and their children are up to date with routine vaccinations.
Meningitis can be very serious, so it’s important to know what to look out for and to seek urgent medical help if symptoms appear.
All the evidence is that this outbreak is only local to Kent and specifically those who visited Club Chemistry between 5 and 7 March and to University of Kent students, who have been asked to seek preventative treatment which is a one off antibiotic dose. There are several walk-in clinics in Kent providing this service. However anyone who has travelled home, or away from Kent, can easily access this important preventative treatment. If this applies to you please contact us urgently and we can prescribe the one of dose of antibiotics
Meningitis B Vaccination
Vaccination with Meningitis B is only being offered by the national team to a small number of people in Kent
Please note – that we are not able to offer the Meningitis B vaccine to children over the age 2 years or adults. Meningitis B vaccine has been part of the children’s vaccine program since 2015 so all children born after then will have been offered it as standard before the age of 1. Currently the NHS only organises a catch-up program to children who missed this these vaccines and are still under 2 years old.
Meningitis ACWY Vaccination
The Men ACWY vaccine helps protect young people against four different causes of meningitis and septicaemia: meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y disease. You only need one dose of the vaccine. This is a different vaccine which covers the other common strains in teenagers and young adults and given to school age children – aged 13-15 in Year 9/10 in Dorset schools.
This service and catch-up clinics for those who missed the vaccine is run by Dorset HealthCare.
Advice for parents of children who missed the Meningitis ACWY vaccine via the school’s program.
“If your child has missed this vaccination and are in Years 9/10/11 then they can be offered the vaccine either in school or a community clinic catch up clinic. Parents/guardians need to follow the link below and completed a consent form.
They will be contacted by Dorset HealthCare once the consent form as been done
https://www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/our-services-and-sites/children-young-people-and-families/school-age-immunisation-service
https://www.schoolimmunisation.dhc.nhs.uk/
Those older than 15 years
If you or your child are older than 15 years and upto your 25th Birthday and have NOT had the Men ACMY already. Please contact the surgery for an appointment with a nurse to receive the vaccine.
https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/news/update-meningitis-incident-kent-england
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cases-of-invasive-meningococcal-disease-confirmed-in-kent
