Reading's 18-year-olds and new students can get a free NHS MenB jab until 31 December. Who qualifies, how to book, and why two doses matter this year.
Young people in Reading who are eligible for the free NHS MenB vaccine have until 31 December to get their first dose. The one-off offer closes after that.
The University of Reading ran an NHS MenB clinic on its campus during Freshers’ Week, the university announced on Wednesday. NHS England commissioned community pharmacies to run clinics at several universities in the South East (University of Reading).
The clinic has gone, but the offer has not. It runs through high street pharmacies and online booking until the deadlines below.
Who can have it
The offer covers three groups (NHS: MenB vaccine):
- Everyone born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008. This is the year group that has just left school or sixth form. You qualify whether or not you are going to university.
- New university students born on or after 21 July 2001 who are starting university for the first time this autumn.
- New further education students born on or after 21 July 2001 who are living in the accommodation of a named college for the first time this year.
The government keeps the list of eligible colleges. Activate Learning, the college group, is on it (GOV.UK: eligible residential FE settings). The college route only applies to students living in college accommodation, so check with your college if you are unsure.
How to get it
You need two doses, at least four weeks apart. First doses are available until 31 December 2026. Second doses are available until 31 March 2027.
There are three ways to book:
- Online, through the NHS MenB booking service. You must be registered with a GP in England to use it.
- By phone, on 119. The call is free and an interpreter is available.
- At a pharmacy, by phoning or walking in. Use the NHS pharmacy finder to see which Reading pharmacies offer it. You do not need to be registered with a GP for a walk-in.
If you qualify through a university or college place, bring proof, such as your offer letter or email.
Why it matters in Reading
First-year students have a risk of meningococcal disease around seven times higher than people the same age who are not at university. That is according to NHS England South East, quoted in the university’s announcement. MenB can cause meningitis and sepsis, and it can develop fast.
Reading has had its own reminder this year. In May, NHS Thames Valley confirmed four cases of meningococcal disease in the Reading area. One person died (NHS Thames Valley).
The South East has given 49,015 MenB vaccinations since the programme opened on 20 July. The university says that is more than any other NHS region.
Alicia Siraj, of NHS England South East, said: “Anyone who is eligible and has not yet started or completed the two-dose course should come forward as soon as possible. Both doses are needed for protection and must be given at least 28 days apart.”
What it means for you
- If you were born between September 2007 and August 2008, you qualify now, wherever you are studying or working. Book a first dose before 31 December.
- If you had a first dose in the summer, book your second. One dose is not full protection.
- If you are a parent of a teenager in that year group, the jab is free and does not need a GP appointment.
- If you are older, the winter flu, Covid and RSV jabs start on 1 October. Reading’s Older Persons’ Day offers them at Broad Street Mall that morning.
Know the symptoms either way. The university’s advice to students lists fever, headache, vomiting, drowsiness, cold hands and feet, rapid breathing and a rash that does not fade when pressed. If you are worried, call 999 or go to A&E. If you are not sure, call 111 (University of Reading).
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