Prof Wei Shen Lim, who is chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advisory group, said: “Invasive meningococcal disease is a rare but very serious illness, which can have a devastating impact on lives.
“JCVI has worked closely with meningitis charities and would like to thank all those who responded, including on behalf of loved ones who sadly died or had life-changing complications. Their lived experiences were carefully considered.”
Dr Tom Nutt, head of campaign group Meningitis Now, called the recommendation a “significant moment” in the fight against the disease.
“Today’s recommendation is an important step towards ensuring that far more young people are protected from this devastating disease,” he told the BBC.
All babies are already offered the MenB vaccine because they are more likely to get invasive infections more often than other age groups, and their bodies are less likely to be able to fight them off.
It was added to the UK NHS childhood immunisation programme for babies born on or after 1 July 2015.
But it means teenagers and young adults over the age of 11 have not received this jab.
The JCVI says these teens should get two doses when they are 15, because their socially active lifestyles put them at higher risk.
The JCVI says this recommendation is based on “recent new evidence” and reverses its previous advice that said it was not necessary or cost effective.
If the advice is accepted, anyone who had the jab as a baby would only need a top up single dose as a teen, rather than two.
Around the UK this summer, pharmacies are offering free MenB jabs to young people who are about to go to university.
This one-off campaign is to help protect those at greatest risk and hopefully prevent something like the Kent outbreak from happening again.
Olivier Picard, chair of the National Pharmacy Association, described the recommendation as “good news”.
“There is clearly a gap in our national vaccination strategy and recent outbreaks have shown the awful impact this illness can have on those who contract it,” he said, adding that pharmacies are ready to deliver the vaccines.
Additional reporting by Henry Moore
