NHS to offer second MenB vaccine after deadly Kent outbreak

NHS to offer second MenB vaccine after deadly Kent outbreakJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleSimon JonesandCachella SmithPA MediaAlmost 12,000 people who were given meningitis B vaccinations following an outbreak last month in Kent will be offered a second dose from next week.Two people died and another 19 were confirmed to have the disease. The vaccine was offered to those who may have been exposed, including some university students and school pupils in the area. You need two doses for protection.Clinics are set to open in Canterbury, Faversham and Ashford and those eligible will be able to schedule an appointment via an online booking system.Students living in university halls in Kent, and those who attended a nightclub connected to the outbreak, were among those being offered the jabs. NHS Kent and Medway has said appointments will be available across multiple clinics and hubs, with more information on how to book due to be published from Monday.According to the NHS, the vaccine protects against most types of meningococcal group B bacteria in the UK.A second dose must be given at least four weeks after the first, but can be given later.Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the outbreak at the time as "unprecedented" due to the number of people who became infected in a short time frame.A 21-year-old university student, whose name was not made public, and sixth form pupil Juliette Kenny both died after contracting the infection - many others received in-patient hospital care.The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) declared a national incident in a bid to help with the rollout of national resources, such as the supply of antibiotics.A targeted vaccination programme was offered initially to students in university halls in Kent before being expanded to those who attended local nightclub Club Chemistry where the outbreak is thought to have originated. Other groups also later became eligible for the programme, including certain sixth form students a...