If you think you have Meningitis
Get urgent medical advice from the Emergency Department if you think you have meningitis symptoms.
This is especially important if you’ve had recent contact with the University of Kent or the Canterbury area.
Outbreak in Kent: advice for students and parents
Since early March 2026, there is an outbreak of meningococcal disease in Kent linked to the MenB strain.
Those affected are young adults and their close contacts.
Preventative antibiotics (also called prophylaxis) are being offered to anyone who:
- went to Club Chemistry in Canterbury, Kent between 5 and 15 March 2026
- is a close contact of someone who is confirmed or suspected to have meningitis
Antibiotics are not being offered to all students. The response is focused on close contacts and people who have been in settings assessed as high risk.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is continuing to investigate the outbreak. They advised that a targeted vaccination programme is underway for:
- student residents of the Canterbury Campus Halls of Residence at the University of Kent
- any individuals who attended Club Chemistry between 5 and 15 March 2026
This is an additional precautionary measure for the affected area and students will be contacted directly.
Two people have died. Find the latest numbers on invasive meningococcal disease statistical releases on GOV.UK.
The risk to the wider population remains low. UK health authorities are actively looking for people who have been in contact with someone who has meningococcal disease using contact tracing. They are also offering preventative antibiotics to those in close contact with a case.
Public Health Jersey advice on meningitis cases in Kent
When to contact the Immunisation Team
Contact the Immunisation Team as soon as possible if you're:
- a student coming back to Jersey from universities in Kent
- an Islander who went to Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5 and 15 March 2026
This helps make sure that you have all preventative measures in place and receive the latest advice.
Call +44 (0) 1534 443741 or email immunisationteam@health.gov.je.
Jersey students in the UK
Public Health Jersey is monitoring developments with UK health protection partners.
We are not aware that any students from the Island have been identified as close contacts.
Students in Kent should:
- follow advice issued by UKHSA, their university and local health services
- attend any clinics if they are identified as contacts and take a full course of antibiotics if this is offered
- get urgent medical advice if they develop symptoms that may suggest meningitis
- check their vaccination status with a GP or the Immunisation Team
This includes students coming back for the Easter holidays.
Anyone who may have been at increased risk will be contacted directly by UK health authorities and given advice.
Your child can get antibiotics when they return to Jersey. GPs outside Kent can prescribe antibiotics and the MenB vaccine to anyone who has been advised to get preventative treatment, so people who have already travelled home can still access it. You should get treatment as soon as possible and not wait until you return to Jersey for the Easter holidays.
You child is not at risk if they mixed with friends who just came back from the UK. The issue is only in Canterbury and the surrounding area.
The risk to students in other parts of the UK is very low and there are no recommendations for extra precautions outside of the affected area. However, it's important to know the symptoms of meningitis and get urgent medical advice if you're worried.
Jersey students going to a UK university in autumn 2026
You should check that your routine immunisations are up to date and that you’ve had the MenACWY vaccine.
If you need any vaccinations:
- check your immunisation record
- find details of the next catch-up vaccination clinics
- contact your GP or the Immunisation Team
You don’t need a MenB vaccine before going to university. Currently there is no recommendation from Public Health Jersey for MenB outside the routine childhood immunisation schedule.
Young people in their first year of university or college are more at risk of meningitis. They mix with many other students and some may not know they’re carrying the bacteria.
What is meningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. It can affect anyone, but is most common in:
- babies
- young children
- teenagers
- young adults
It can be very serious if not treated quickly.
Meningitis is usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection. Bacterial meningitis is rarer but more serious than viral meningitis.
There are several strains of the meningococcal bacteria.
The MenACWY vaccination gives good protection against:
The vaccine is routinely offered to teenagers in school Years 9 and 10.
This vaccine does not protect against all forms of meningococcal infection. Other strains such as MenB can circulate in young adults. This is why it’s important to know how to spot the symptoms getting treated early can save lives.
Symptoms
Meningitis can initially look like flu or a hangover, making it easy to miss.
Symptoms of meningitis develop suddenly and can include:
- high temperature
- vomiting
- headache
- rash that doesn’t fade when a glass is rolled over it (a rash doesn’t always develop)
- stiff neck
- a dislike of bright lights
- drowsiness or unresponsiveness
- seizures (fits)
These symptoms can appear in any order and you may not always get all symptoms.
If you think you have meningitis symptoms, get urgent medical advice from the Emergency Department. This is especially important if you’ve had recent contact with the University of Kent or the Canterbury area.
Early symptoms can often be confused with a cold or the flu, such as fever and headache, but meningitis can progress quickly. Recognising the signs and treating them early can save lives. If you or anyone you know develop any of the symptoms, get medical help immediately.
If symptoms appear at night, you should get urgent medical advice from the Emergency Department.
How meningitis spreads
Infections that cause meningitis can be spread through:
- sneezing
- coughing
- kissing
- sharing drinks, bottles, cigarettes, vapes or utensils
Meningococcal disease is usually caught from people who carry the bacteria in their nose or throat but are not ill themselves. It can also be caught from someone with the disease, but it’s less common.
To reduce the risk from meningococcal bacteria you can:
- avoid sharing drinks, bottles, cigarettes, vapes or utensils
- cover coughs and sneezes and disposing of tissues promptly
- maintain good hand hygiene, particularly after coughing or sneezing
Vaccinations
If your child is up to date with their routine vaccination schedule, they don’t need another meningitis vaccine at this stage.
To check your child’s vaccination status, contact your GP or the Immunisation Team.
The MenACWY vaccine is recommended as part of the routine immunisation programme. In Jersey, it’s available for free up to the age of 25. This vaccine protects against several important strains of meningococcal bacteria and is recommended for teenagers and young adults, including those attending university.
Meningitis has many causes. If you’re not eligible for the MenB vaccine, you should still make sure you’re up to date with the MMR and MenACWY vaccines, which help protect against other causes of meningitis.
Meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY) vaccine
MenB vaccination
There is currently no recommendation from Public Health Jersey for MenB vaccination for teenagers and young adults outside of the routine childhood immunisation schedule. Private MenB vaccination isn’t managed by Public Health Jersey. However, if our advice changes, we’ll have access to the vaccine.
Extensive reviews of the efficiency of the MenB vaccine by the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) show that vaccination reduces the disease in infants, however, it does not prevent the bacteria from being carried and spread in the community.
Meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine
Vaccine schedule
The following vaccines are recommended for teenagers and young adults as part of the school-age routine vaccine programme.
Annually for all school children up to and including school year 11
| All school years up to and including school year 11 annually
| Flu (nasal vaccine)
|
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12 to 13 years old
| Year 8
| Cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), including cervical cancer, mouth and throat cancers and some cancers of the anal and genital areas.
|
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13 to 14 years old
| Year 9
 Year 9 School Vaccination Schedule March 2026
| Tetanus, diphtheria, and polio booster. Meningitis ACWY. |
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