The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) chief executive Henry Gregg has urged the Government to ramp up its efforts to raise public awareness of pharmacy’s meningitis B vaccination service after figures released today revealed less than 30 per cent of eligible young people have had a first dose.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said 228,297 out of 809,957 18 and 19-year-olds, equating to 28.2 per cent, had a first dose by October 31 this year, leaving more than 580,000 in that age group still to get a vaccine by December 31.
Gregg (pictured) said Labour should “do much more” to promote community pharmacies’ provision of MenB vaccines, which started as a commissioned service in July and runs until March 31 next year, including getting universities to promote them to students living in residential accommodation.
"We’re proud that once again, pharmacies have been able to create a service reaching significant numbers of people in a few weeks from a standing start. That is a strength of the pharmacy network,” Gregg said.
“The government must do much more to promote this vital service to help ensure as many as possible of those who are eligible benefit from protection against MenB.”
The pharmacy MenB vaccine service covers people born between September 1, 2007, and August 31, 2008, as well as those turning 25 on or after July 21, 2026, who started undergraduate higher education this autumn.
Gregg called for the pharmacy vaccination service to be an “annual campaign rather than an ad-hoc, standalone event” to improve uptake among young people.
“MenB is an extremely serious illness and we must do all we can to minimise the risk of tragic outbreaks that we have already seen this year in Kent, Berkshire and Dorset,” he said.
Dr Shamez Ladhani, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said the latest uptake figures were worrying and urged people to get their first dose by December 31.
“Parties and gatherings inevitably lead to increased mixing with others which raises the risk of meningococcal disease spreading among young people. Book your appointment now,” he said.
“We know the vaccine can cause some a sore arm for a few days but compared to the potential devastating, life changing consequences of infection, it’s just not worth the risk of missing out.”
