Moss Grove Surgery in Kingswinford, West Midlands, has released new advice and awareness materials about meningitis and septicaemia. The guidance was issued on 18 March 2026 to help residents understand the symptoms and how they can access vaccinations.
According to Moss Grove Surgery, the rules for who can get a free meningitis vaccine are strictly controlled. The surgery will reach out to patients who are eligible, but anyone who does not meet the specific criteria is being told to contact their local pharmacy for preventative care instead.
This local update follows a reported outbreak of Meningitis B centered in Kent, which has triggered a national public health alert. The UK Health Security Agency is currently monitoring the situation as more people seek medical advice regarding the infection.
Under current national rules, free routine vaccinations for Meningitis B are only given to infants born on or after 1 July 2015. This leaves a gap in protection for many older teenagers and young adults who were born before this date and did not receive the jab as part of their routine childhood healthcare.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who has already widened vaccine access for students in the affected Kent region, is currently being asked to review whether national vaccination rules should be changed in response to the outbreak. For now, residents in other areas who want the vaccine but are not eligible for a free dose must use private pharmacy services to get protected.
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