Kent Meningitis Outbreak Triggers Surge in UK Vaccine Demand, Policy Debate

Kent Meningitis B Outbreak Spurs UK Vaccine Demand and Policy Review

Rising Demand and Policy Implications Following Kent Meningitis B Outbreak

By Muvija M and Jennifer Rigby

LONDON, March 20 (Reuters) - Young people in southeast England and beyond are lining up for the meningitis B vaccine after an outbreak killed two people, sparking supply warnings from pharmacies and raising broader questions about the best public health response to the disease.

Immediate Response to the Outbreak

People who fear they have been in contact with someone affected in the outbreak in Kent can get the vaccine and preventative antibiotics from the UK Health Security Agency, through university buildings, clinics and GPs.

But private demand for the vaccine from those worried about the disease in the wider population has also surged, pharmacies have reported.

Pharmacy Response and Vaccine Shortages

"Pharmacies have been inundated with requests for MenB vaccines in recent days," the National Pharmacy Association, which represents 6,000 independent pharmacies in Britain, said in a statement.

MENINGITIS B SHOT GIVEN TO BABIES SINCE 2015

Pharmacy chains Boots and Superdrug have both warned of shortages and implemented online waiting lists. Boots said it was working to source additional supplies and prioritising the places where demand was highest, notably Kent.

On Thursday, the government released 20,000 doses of the meningitis B vaccine from the NHS supply to ease shortages on the private market, but the NPA said this was unlikely to meet demand.

The meningitis B vaccine available on the NHS, Bexsero, is made by British drugmaker GSK. It is also available privately, alongside Trumenba, made by U.S. firm Pfizer. Both cost around 200 pounds ($267) when bought privately.

Meningitis B: Risks and Vaccination Coverage

Adolescents in Britain – as in many other countries – are not routinely vaccinated against meningitis B, which is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.

Meningitis B is caused by one group of bacteria; other bacterial strains as well as viral infections can also cause meningitis. Symptoms include fever, drowsiness and vomiting, and it can become serious quickly.

Since 2015, the meningitis B shot has been given to babies, who are the highest-risk group for the disease, with a different vaccine against other strains given to teenagers.

"I can understand people suddenly wanting the vaccine," said Brendan Wren, professor and co-director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Vaccine Centre, adding that there was no harm in getting the shot.

However, he said antibiotics were the best option for those who feared they had been exposed. Antibiotics start to work almost immediately, while immunity from the two-dose vaccine takes a month to build.

Calls to Broaden Access to Teenagers

The outbreak has also brought to the fore questions over whether the meningitis B vaccine should be available to teenagers, who are the second-highest-risk group, more broadly.

"There is a gap in the NHS vaccination schedule... there’s a strong moral case for stepping in," said Tom Nutt, chief executive of Britain's largest meningitis charity, Meningitis Now.

Policy Review and Expert Opinions

In the wake of the Kent outbreak, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has asked the British vaccine advisory body, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, to re-examine who should be eligible for the meningitis B vaccine on the NHS.

However, he also said it was not necessary for people to go out and buy a shot, as those at risk were covered by the UKHSA campaign.   

Adam Finn, professor emeritus of paediatrics at the University of Bristol and a JCVI member for other vaccines, said recommendations on healthcare interventions like vaccines were made on the basis of “cost-benefit” analyses.

While the 29 cases in the Kent outbreak were an unusually high number, he said it was unlikely to change the JCVI’s position unless it was the first of several similar events. 

He said the JCVI would “follow the evidence-based methods they always use to ensure that we all obtain the best value possible from the resources allocated to the NHS", adding that he understood this would not compensate for the pain experienced by those affected by meningitis.  

($1 = 0.7481 pounds)

(Reporting by Jennifer Rigby and Muvija M in London; Editing by Alex Richardson)