UK Committee Recommends MenB Vaccination for 15-Year-Olds After Major Outbreak
Expert Committee Updates MenB Vaccination Guidance Following Outbreak
Background and Recent Outbreak
LONDON, July 16 (Reuters) - All 15 year-olds in Britain should be offered the vaccine against meningococcal B disease (MenB), an expert committee said on Thursday, changing its previous advice after the country's largest outbreak of the disease earlier this year.
The government will now consider the recommendation before making any changes to national vaccination programmes.
Details of the Outbreak
• Two people died in March in a MenB outbreak in Kent, southeast England, which health authorities said was the largest and fastest-growing ever seen in Britain.
Current Vaccination Practices
• Adolescents in Britain — as in many other countries — are not routinely vaccinated against meningitis B, but since 2015, the country has offered a vaccine against the disease to babies.
Committee Review and Recommendations
Review Process
• An independent expert scientific committee was asked to review vaccination plans in the wake of the March outbreak, and has now said teenagers aged about 15 should routinely be offered the vaccine.
Factors Influencing the Recommendation
• The change to advice followed consideration of updated evidence of vaccine effectiveness, uncertainties regarding future disease levels, the recent outbreaks and cost-effectiveness analysis.
Effectiveness of Infant Vaccination
• The committee said the MenB vaccine given to infants was "highly effective", and by vaccinating teenagers at 15 they would have protection for the years when they are at a higher risk from the disease.
Additional Vaccination Measures
One-off Vaccination Programmes
• In June, UK health authorities offered a one-off vaccination programme for 17- and 18-year-olds and under 25s who were due to start university later this year.
Risks for Students
• MenB tends to affect students disproportionately as the risk is higher due to close and prolonged contact in halls of residence and at social events.
(Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by William James)
