Anthony Mills, whose 18-year-old son Aaron died from meningitis in January, praised the government's one-off meningitis B vaccine offer as "fantastic". The UK will offer a two-dose vaccine to around one million young people, prioritising final-year school pupils and 18–25-year-olds starting university or residential further education. The programme responds to the largest and fastest-growing meningitis B outbreak this year in Kent, with additional clusters in Weymouth and Reading, and aims to protect those at highest immediate risk.
Father Hails One-Off Meningitis B Vaccine Rollout as "Fantastic" After Losing Son
Anthony Mills said the news of a one-off meningitis B vaccine programme was "a really big win" [BBC]
Anthony Mills, a father from Kidderminster who lost his 18-year-old son Aaron to meningitis in January, has described the UK government's one-off meningitis B vaccine programme as "fantastic".
Aaron died on 3 January after complaining of a headache only days earlier. On Friday, ministers announced that around one million young people across the UK will be offered a two-dose meningitis B vaccine this autumn.
"My initial reaction was... I cried. I immediately thought of Aaron and it hurts because I know if all this came out last year we'd have got him a vaccine and he'd probably be with us now," Mills said. "But the thing is, that's what I've campaigned for. It's just a really, really good thing and it's a really big win for me, and it's something I can put to rest."
Mills said he hopes the one-off offer will lead to a wider, permanent programme and stressed the importance of vaccinating new university starters before freshers' week.
Why the Vaccination Is Being Offered
The urgent programme follows what public health officials describe as the UK's largest and fastest-growing meningitis B outbreak this year in Kent, alongside two other unusual clusters in Weymouth (Dorset) and Reading (Berkshire). Officials say the measure targets those at the "highest immediate risk".
Who Is Eligible
- Pupils in Year 13 in England and Wales, Year 14 in Northern Ireland, and S6 in Scotland
- Young people aged 18 to 25 who will be starting university or residential further education for the first time this autumn
The vaccine will be given as a two-dose course to offer protection during the high-risk period when students move into communal living. Health officials and campaigners emphasise the need to complete the vaccination before students begin term-time social activities.
While the announcement has been welcomed by bereaved families and public health advocates, some campaigners hope this one-off programme will be the start of a broader, sustained vaccination strategy for young people.
Help us improve.
