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Meningitis Jab Chaos: Students Turned Away
21 Mar
Summary
- Students left in tears after being denied meningitis jabs.
- Shortage of vaccinators led to clinic closures.
- Initial outbreak linked to a nightclub is waning.
Students faced distress after being denied Meningitis B vaccinations at the University of Kent due to insufficient vaccinators. The clinic closed its queue early on two consecutive days, preventing many from receiving the jab. This situation has caused significant frustration, particularly for students with weekend job commitments who cannot easily return.
The initial outbreak, associated with Club Chemistry in Canterbury, is reportedly fizzling out. However, health experts caution that sporadic household cases might emerge nationwide as students travel home. Approximately 15,000 individuals have been urged to get the MenB jab to prevent further spread of the bacteria, which has tragically caused two deaths.
Genetic testing indicates the MenB vaccine is likely effective against the circulating strain. Despite substantial queues forming before clinic openings, security teams turned away over 100 individuals on one day. The UK Health Security Agency cited a 'staffing issue' for similar incidents previously. Authorities are considering various scenarios for the coming month, with the most probable involving students incubating the bug away from Kent, leading to containable household cases elsewhere.
