Meningitis in Kent, long queues for vaccines. 34 cases reported

Among the people queuing for the vaccine, there is no shortage of protesters. On Saturday 21 March, Anya Trickett arrived at the University of Kent's vaccination centre at 5 Gmt (6am Italian time) and was first in line. She told of being 'turned away' from a vaccine clinic at 2pm the day before.

"I found it absurd," she said, "since the centre was supposed to be open until 5 p.m. So I came here very early today to make sure I was accepted.

After the first four vaccination centres set up at the University of Kent Sports Centre in Canterbury, the Kent and Canterbury Hospital in Canterbury, the Faversham Health Centre and the Vicarage Lane Clinic in Ashford, a fifth vaccination centre was opened at the Qeqm Hospital in Margate.

La discoteca

A Canterbury

The contagion affected almost exclusively young people, involving students from two universities based in the historic city of Canterbury, and some secondary schools in the same area of Kent: through contacts that allegedly took place during a party at a city club, the Chemistry Club, frequented by both boys and girls.

The British Health Minister, Wes Streeting, made it clear that he had not ordered the official closure of the two universities - the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University - or of the educational establishments concerned, where precautionary measures to suspend various activities remain in place, however: confirmed by media images of ghost campuses and the early departure of several out-of-towners for the Easter holidays.

Streeting explained that several cases have been confirmed with certainty as being attributable to the meningococcal bacterium B strain MenB: a feared source of infection against which the UK has introduced routine vaccinations of infants and young children since 2015. The disease is transmissible by close contact. One of them, 21-year-old Annabelle Mackay, said she had lost her sight for two days and was still unable to walk.

In September 2015,the United Kingdom became the first country in the world to introduce the Meningitis B vaccine (Bexsero) into the free national childhood immunisation programme for infants. However, this was an addition to the recommended programme, not a requirement.

Also in 2015, the MenACWY vaccine for teenagers was introduced, also included in the routine, but not mandatory, programme.

Young people in the south-east of England queuing for the meningitis B vaccine triggered numerous requests for supplies from pharmacies and raised wider questions about the best public health response to the disease.

People who fear they may have been in contact with someone affected by the outbreak in Kent can obtain the vaccine and preventive antibiotics from the UK Health Security Agency, through university buildings, clinics and GPs.
But private demand for the vaccine from those concerned about the disease in the wider population has also increased, the National pharmacy association (Npa), which represents 6,000 independent pharmacies in Britain, said in a note.

The pharmacy chains Boots and Superdrug have both reported shortages and implemented online waiting lists. Boots said it is working to source additional supplies and prioritising locations where demand is highest, particularly in Kent.

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

The vaccine against meningitis B available on the National Health Service, Bexsero, is produced by the British pharmaceutical company GSK.

It is also available privately, together with Trumenba, produced by the US company Pfizer. Both cost about 200 pounds (about 230 euros at the 20 March exchange rate) if purchased privately.