UK vaccine advisers reverse stance, recommend teenage meningitis B jabs on NHS after fatal outbreaks

The JCVI recommended on 16 July 2026 that teenagers receive meningitis B vaccines on the NHS, reversing its position from March. The shift follows Kent outbreaks that killed two teenagers, including 18-year-old Juliette Kenny. The plan — covering boosters, two-dose catch-ups, and a catch-up programme — requires government approval, with each UK nation deciding funding separately. A one-off programme for Year 13 and under-25 university entrants begins 20 July.