The UK's meningitis B vaccine rollout remains restricted to specific teenage cohorts, leaving many young people without access to this critical immunization. The NHS currently offers the MenB jab only to babies at two, four, and twelve months old, plus a booster at one year. For teenagers, eligibility remains narrowly defined.

Meningitis B causes bacterial meningitis and septicaemia, both potentially fatal infections. The disease progresses rapidly, killing one in ten infected patients even with treatment. Survivors often face permanent disability including deafness, brain damage, and limb loss.

The vaccine prevents infection from the serogroup B strain, which accounts for roughly half of bacterial meningitis cases in the UK. Unlike other meningitis strains, serogroup B's capsule closely resembles human neural tissue, raising theoretical autoimmune concerns that delayed vaccine development for years.

Teenagers aged 13-18 can access MenB vaccination through their GP if they request it, but the NHS does not automatically offer it to this age group beyond infant schedules. High-risk individuals including those with certain immune conditions or traveling to high-prevalence areas qualify for the jab. University entrants can also receive it, reflecting evidence that student accommodation increases transmission risk.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation concluded that extending routine MenB vaccination to all teenagers lacked cost-benefit justification given current disease incidence and existing infant protection. The committee noted that universal teenage vaccination would prevent relatively few additional cases compared to the expense.

Parents and campaigners have contested this decision, arguing that the disease's severity and unpredictable nature warrant broader protection. Private clinics increasingly offer MenB vaccination to teenagers whose families seek it outside NHS provision, highlighting a two-tier access system based on income and awareness.

The debate reflects tension between public health resources and disease prevention. While MenB remains rare, its lethality ensures continued pressure for wider vaccine coverage among younger populations most vulnerable to infection.