Meningitis Vaccine Queue Chaos at University of Kent
More than 100 students were turned away from a meningitis vaccination centre at the University of Kent in Canterbury after officials closed the queue due to capacity issues. This comes as confirmed or suspected cases of the deadly disease have climbed to 27, with the outbreak being treated as a national incident.
Vaccination Centre Overwhelmed by Demand
The university announced it had shut the vaccine queue at its Canterbury campus due to capacity constraints, with nursing staff unable to see more people within the clinic's remaining opening hours. Patients had waited up to 90 minutes at a sports centre on campus before the queue was closed at 3pm, attributed to a lack of staff.
According to Press Association estimates, over 100 individuals who had been queuing for the jab were sent home. In a Facebook post, the university stated: "The team have been working incredibly hard to vaccinate as many people as possible." NHS England reported that more than 2,000 vaccines have been administered so far, including 630 on Wednesday alone.
Health Secretary's Visit and Response
Health Secretary Wes Streeting visited the centre for nearly two hours to show his support. When asked by the Mirror if he was satisfied with the response, he said: "I think we've seen a really, really brilliant response here, the way in which the NHS team has mobilised so quickly, they've done a great job."
He added: "We’re expanding the availability of the vaccine today too, so we should expect to see more people coming through. We’ve got effective treatment through the antibiotics and effective vaccination campaign... I'm really proud of the way that mobilised, so quickly, supported by the university who are dealing with this."
Student Experiences and Concerns
Among those vaccinated was Olivia Parkins, 18, who revealed that three friends from the University of Kent's cheerleading society had been infected. She said: "I know quite a lot of people who are in hospital with it... I also live in the block where the outbreak happened."
Fraser Young, a 20-year-old History and Politics student, admitted he wasn't initially worried until hearing about a 21-year-old student's death. He stated: "At first, I thought the headlines were hyperbolic, but I hadn't realised what meningitis was... Better safe than sorry."
Jeff Harwood, a 19-year-old Human Geography student, echoed this sentiment: "I think it's really important to get it done. I've heard a lot of horror stories, like people dying, losing toes, being made non-verbal. It's quite worrying."
Expanded Eligibility and Economic Impact
The UK Health Security Agency has expanded vaccine eligibility to all University of Kent students, local sixth form students, and anyone who attended Chemistry nightclub between March 5 and March 15. The government also announced that an additional 20,000 vaccines will be released from NHS supplies for pharmacy use within 48 hours.
Meanwhile, businesses in Canterbury are suffering significant losses, with some reporting up to half their usual earnings as people stay away. One hotel noted it had lost a third of its bookings this week due to cancellations.
Local MP Urges Normalcy
Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield emphasized that the city remains open for business, stating that public anxiety is "calming down." She encouraged residents and visitors: "Enjoy Canterbury - go and eat in the bars and restaurants. We are open and we rely on tourism." She humorously compared the situation to the film Jaws: "It is a bit like being the mayor in Jaws isn't it? Go out, but don't get eaten by sharks."
Currently, 15 people are confirmed to have meningitis, with 12 further suspected cases. The outbreak continues to be monitored closely as vaccination efforts intensify.
