New university students beginning their degrees this autumn are being offered free NHS MenB vaccinations at the University of Reading during Freshers' Week. NHS England has commissioned several community pharmacies to run on-campus vaccination clinics at a number of universities across the South East this week.

The clinics are designed to give eligible students who have not yet received their first or second dose another opportunity to come forward while campuses are busy with new arrivals. They form part of a one-off, time-limited NHS MenB vaccination programme launched on 20 July this year, aimed at protecting young people considered to be at highest immediate risk of MenB disease. The wider programme is being delivered primarily through participating community pharmacies across the region.

According to the latest published monthly figures, 49,015 MenB vaccinations have been administered in the South East since the programme launched, more than in any other NHS region in England.

First year university students face a risk of meningococcal disease around seven times higher than similarly aged young people who do not attend university. MenB can cause meningitis and sepsis, can develop rapidly, and may be life threatening. While outbreaks of the disease are uncommon, it can have a profound impact on individuals, families and communities, as previously seen in unrelated outbreaks in Kent and Reading.

Alicia Siraj, Interim Deputy Director of Public Health for NHS England South East immunisations, said Freshers' Week represented an exciting milestone for new students, but that living and socialising closely with large numbers of new people could increase the risk of MenB spreading. She said bringing vaccination clinics directly onto several university campuses across the South East this week, alongside the existing community pharmacy offer, was intended to make it easier for eligible young people to get protected.

Siraj added that the South East had already delivered the highest number of MenB vaccinations in the country, describing this as a strong achievement, but urged anyone eligible who has not yet started or completed the two dose course to come forward as soon as possible. She noted that both doses are required for protection and must be given at least 28 days apart.

Paddy Woodman, Director of Student Services at the University of Reading, said the university wanted every student to feel supported as they began university life, adding that protecting their health formed an important part of that support. He said bringing the MenB vaccine directly onto campus made it quick and convenient for eligible students to get protected during Freshers' Week, and encouraged new starters who had not yet had their first dose, or who still needed their second, to take advantage of the clinic while it remained on site.

Meningitis Research Foundation Ambassadors will also attend several universities during Freshers' Week to raise awareness of meningococcal disease and help students understand the importance of recognising symptoms and seeking urgent medical help if they become unwell.

Caroline Hughes, Senior Support Services Manager at the Meningitis Research Foundation, said 2026 offered a unique opportunity for many young people starting university across the UK to protect themselves against MenB through the free NHS vaccine. She said the organisation had supported thousands of people during outbreaks of cases this year and understood the deep worry MenB cases bring to families and communities, which was why it was supporting the vaccine rollout in every way possible, including through Ambassadors who have themselves experienced meningitis attending university Freshers' Fairs across the South East.

The one-off NHS offer is available to young people born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008, undergraduate freshers born on or after 21 July 2001 starting university for the first time this autumn, and people born on or after 21 July 2001 starting further education for the first time this autumn while living in eligible further education accommodation.

Two doses of the MenB vaccine are needed for full protection, given at least 28 days apart. Eligible people can receive their first dose until 31 December 2026, with second doses available until 31 March 2027.

The MenB vaccine has been used routinely in the UK's infant vaccination programme since 2015. It has a good safety record and has contributed to a 75 per cent reduction in MenB disease among vaccinated age groups.

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