Young people in NI to be offered MenB vaccine from 31 July

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Year 14 pupils and first year university students will be able to get the vaccines ahead of the autumn term By Jessica Lawrence BBC News NI Published 17 July 2026, 00:01 BST Updated 3 hours ago A meningitis B (MenB) vaccination programme targeting young people and university students in Northern Ireland will roll out from 31 July, NI's chief medical officer has said. It follows an outbreak in England earlier this year, in which two people - a university student and a sixth-form pupil - died. The two-dose vaccine will be offered to those deemed most at risk from the infection, including Year 14 students and under-25s starting university or a Higher Education institution for the first time this autumn. MenB is a bacterial infection that can cause serious, life-threatening illness including inflammation of the lining of the brain and blood poisoning (sepsis). It is spread by close contact such as kissing, sharing vapes or drinks, or living in close quarters - like student accommodation - with a person who has the disease. Similar vaccination programmes are rolling out in England , Wales and Scotland . What is meningitis B and why is a vaccine only being offered to some teenagers? Published 12 June Meningitis B vaccine to be offered to a million young people Published 12 June What is meningitis B? Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. There are several types, and meningitis B can be very serious. It can affect anyone, but is most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults. Who can get the MenB vaccine in Northern Ireland? A letter from the Chief Medical Officer , external , Prof Sir Michael McBride, states that from 31 July 2026, those eligible for the vaccine are: Anyone born between 2 July 2007 and 1 July 2008 Those born on or after 21 July 2001 and are due to start an undergraduate degree in the UK or Ireland this autumn - including international students Individuals born on or after 21 July 2001 and living in further education or university halls for the first time this autumn Any pupil not in Year 14 in the 2025/2026 academic school year, postgraduate students and other students not going to university for the first time this autumn are excluded from the meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination programme. The vaccine is given in two doses, about 28 days apart, to be most effective. People are encouraged to get both doses before starting university. Why are young people encouraged to get the MenB vaccine? To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. This video can not be played Figure caption, Year 14 pupils and those heading to uni for the first time will be able to get the MenB vaccines from 31July One reason why students are most at risk from meningitis is because when they go to university, they come into close contact with lots of people they have never met before. They mix in large numbers at close quarters, w