Vaccination Offer for Older Teenagers and New Students in Scotland
Health boards across Scotland are encouraging young people to receive a free meningitis B (MenB) vaccine. To facilitate this, drop-in clinics are being established nationwide as part of a limited-time vaccination programme.
The vaccine targets older teenagers and new college and university students who face a higher risk of exposure to meningococcal group B bacteria. This initiative follows the tragic deaths of two students earlier this year due to a meningitis outbreak in Kent.
What is meningitis B and how is it spread?
MenB is a bacterial infection capable of causing severe, life-threatening conditions such as meningitis, an inflammation of the brain's lining, and sepsis, a serious blood infection.
The disease can result in permanent disabilities including amputations, hearing loss, and brain damage, and has a fatality rate of approximately 10%.
Transmission occurs through close contact activities such as kissing, sharing vaping devices or drinks, or living in close quarters with an infected individual.
What is the vaccine?
The MenB vaccine provides protection against the strain responsible for the Kent outbreak. It contains no live bacteria and cannot cause meningitis.
Full protection requires two doses, ideally completed before commencing further or higher education.
Common side effects include swelling, redness, or tenderness at the injection site, and occasionally mild fever, nausea, headache, or muscle aches, which typically resolve within one to two days. Serious side effects are rare.
Who can get the MenB vaccine in Scotland?
- Individuals born between 1 March 2008 and 28 February 2009
- Students who were in S6 during the 2025-26 academic year
- Undergraduate university entrants under 25 starting for the first time in the 2026-27 academic year, including international students
- College entrants under 25 starting for the first time in the 2026-27 academic year who live away from home in shared student accommodation, including international students
Why are students advised to get the vaccine?
While many young people have received the MenACWY vaccine, they may still be vulnerable to meningitis and sepsis caused by other meningococcal bacteria, including group B.
First-year university students face a risk approximately seven times higher than peers not attending university.
UK health authorities attribute this increased risk to greater social mixing and shared living environments among new university and residential college students.
The Kent outbreak in March was described as unprecedented and explosive, with 29 confirmed or suspected cases and two fatalities within weeks.
This vaccination programme aims to protect those most at risk and prevent similar outbreaks.
Why is this not aimed at all teenagers?
The MenB vaccine was incorporated into the UK NHS childhood immunisation schedule for babies born on or after 1 July 2015. As of December 2025, 93.9% of babies under 12 months in Scotland had received the vaccine.
Consequently, teenagers and young adults over 11 years old have generally not been vaccinated against MenB.
Young infants are vaccinated due to their higher susceptibility to invasive infections and less developed immune systems.
However, research indicates that the MenB vaccine does not necessarily prevent transmission, does not cover all B bacteria strains, and does not provide long-term immunity.
UK vaccine experts have determined it is not cost-effective to offer MenB vaccination to all adolescents but emphasize the importance of vaccination for those eligible to prevent serious illness.
Where can I get the vaccine?
All 14 health boards in Scotland are administering the vaccine through appointments, drop-in clinics, or a combination thereof, at health centres, universities, shopping centres, and mobile units.
Eligible individuals are encouraged to receive both doses promptly, with a minimum interval of 28 days between doses.
First doses can be administered until 31 December 2026, and second doses until 31 March 2027.
For information on drop-in clinics, individuals should consult their respective health board websites:
What do the experts say?
"MenB can spread rapidly in shared living environments and can lead to serious disease. This targeted programme offers strong protection to those most at risk, and I would encourage everyone who is eligible to take up the offer, especially if you are heading to university or college for the first time."
— Scotland's chief medical officer, Prof Sir Gregor Smith
"Meningitis and meningococcal sepsis can be very serious and life threatening if not treated quickly. Immunisation is the most effective way of preventing illness from meningococcal disease."
— Dr Daniel Chandler, consultant at Public Health Scotland
"Protecting the health of young people in Scotland is an absolute priority. We know that starting university or college – especially moving into shared accommodation – is one of the highest-risk periods for this disease, and we are acting now, ahead of the new academic year, following recent outbreaks. The MenB vaccine has a strong safety record and the evidence is clear that it works. I want every eligible young person in Scotland to come forward for both doses and take this important step to protect their health as they begin what is, for many of them, an exciting new chapter in their lives."
— Public Health Minister Maree Todd
What about the vaccination S4 pupils get?
A separate vaccine, MenACWY, covering different meningococcal strains, is routinely offered to 14-year-olds. Coverage varies by region; for example, 82.5% of female S4 pupils in NHS Forth Valley have received it, compared to 67.6% in the Highlands.
What about other types of meningitis?
Meningitis can be caused by various viruses or bacteria and spreads through close contact with infected individuals.
Viral meningitis typically resolves within seven to ten days and can often be managed at home with rest, pain relief, and anti-sickness medication.
Bacterial meningitis requires hospital treatment.
Public Health Scotland data indicate that pneumococcal vaccine coverage among eligible populations—including those aged 65 and over and at-risk groups aged 2 to 65—was 73.1% as of March 2026, up from 71.2% the previous year.
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