A leading health expert is urging parents and teenagers not to ignore a potentially life-saving vaccine following new recommendations from government advisers. The meningitis B (MenB) jab could protect young people from a disease that kills around 35,000 people annually and can cause life-changing complications within hours.
Doctor's Urgent Appeal for MenB Vaccine
Dr Tom Nutt, chief executive of the meningitis charity Meningitis Now, appeared on Sky News to discuss the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommendation that all teenagers should routinely be offered a MenB vaccine at around age 15, subject to government approval. Speaking to presenter Leah Boleto, Dr Nutt stressed the importance of encouraging young people to come forward despite misinformation online. "It's really important that people know that the vaccine is safe and that it's effective," he said.
Dr Nutt acknowledged that no vaccine offers complete protection but said the MenB jab could dramatically reduce the risk of severe disease. "This is a vaccine that could save your life," he added. He emphasised that meningitis can have devastating consequences, including amputations, brain injury, sensory impairment, and psychological trauma. "For the sake of a couple of doses of vaccination, I think it's well worth protecting a young and a precious life," he urged.
Background and Rationale for New Vaccine Advice
The JCVI recommendation follows several meningococcal B outbreaks in England, including cases in Kent and Reading, which prompted ministers to ask advisers to review the UK's vaccination programme. According to the committee, adolescents face an increased risk of invasive meningococcal disease during their teenage years and early adulthood. Invasive meningococcal disease is rare but can become life-threatening very quickly, with early symptoms resembling flu before progressing to meningitis or sepsis, according to the UK Health Security Agency.
Under the recommendation, teenagers born on or after 1 May 2015 who received the MenB vaccine as babies would be offered a single booster dose at around age 15. Those who did not receive the infant vaccine, including older teenagers, would be offered two doses under proposed routine and catch-up programmes if ministers approve the advice. The Department of Health and Social Care will now consider the JCVI's recommendations before deciding whether to make changes to the NHS vaccination schedule. In the meantime, eligible young people are encouraged to take up existing MenB vaccine offers where available.
