Meningitis Outbreak

Important information for families

The current strain linked to the outbreak has been identified as meningitis B.

The meningitis B vaccine was introduced in 2015 and is routinely offered to babies at 8 and 16 weeks of age. As a result, anyone born before 2015 will not have received this vaccine as part of the standard immunisation schedule.

If you or your child were born before 2015 and you would like to receive the meningitis B vaccine, this will need to be arranged privately.

If you have any concerns or questions about the meningitis outbreak, please contact the UKHSA helpline on 0344 225 386.

Published: Mar 18, 2026