Government accused of ‘playing Russian roulette’ with meningitis B vaccine | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleRebecca WhittakerThursday 19 March 2026 09:30 GMTKent chief medical officer insists meningitis vaccine 'highly effective' as rollout beginsAn "explosive" Meningitis B outbreak in Kent has led to 20 confirmed cases and two deaths, prompting urgent calls for a wider vaccination programme for young people.Marrissa Mullans, whose 18-year-old son Alfie died from Meningitis B in 2023, is campaigning for the MenB vaccine to be offered to all young people, not just those born after 2015.The outbreak has led to the University of Kent offering vaccines to 5,000 students in halls of residence, while pharmacies in the county report a surge in demand for private supplies.Health Secretary Wes Streeting has asked the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to re-examine eligibility for meningitis vaccines, but stated he would not have a "knee-jerk reaction" to wider rollout.The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has warned NHS staff about the "severe with rapid deterioration" nature of the illness and advised a high index of suspicion for symptoms in 16-30 year olds.In fullGovernment ‘playing Russian roulette’ by not offering all young people meningitis B jab, campaigners sayThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in