Family of teen who died in meningitis outbreak call for wider MenB vaccine programme

The family of an 18-year-old girl who died following a meningitis B (MenB) outbreak in Kent have joined calls to improve access to a vaccine programme for young people.

Juliette Kenny is one of two people confirmed to have died from the infection last week, the other being a 21-year-old University of Kent student.

Her father Michael Kenny paid tribute to his daughter, describing her as a "a force in this world" who "spread fun, love and happiness".

With latest figures showing 27 confirmed or suspected cases, the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) has expanded a meningitis vaccination programme to all who attended the nightclub where the outbreak is believed to have originated.

But Juliette's family have backed calls from the Meningitis Research Foundation for the government to go further, extending routine NHS access to the MenB vaccine so that it includes teenagers and young adults.

MenB is the most common cause of meningococcal meningitis in the UK, but routine vaccinations only began to be rolled out in 2015, meaning the current generation of students and others in their late teens are not protected.

UKHSA said anyone who went to Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5 and 15 March was eligible.

Juliette died one day after showing symptoms of the disease which included vomiting and discolouration in her cheeks, her father said.

Previously, only University of Kent students living in halls had been offered the meningitis B vaccine.

Michael, Juliette's father, remembered his daughter was "fit, healthy and strong" before her death and was "a force in this world".

"With her beautifully positive energy she spread fun, love and happiness to those around her and she continues to do so now," he said.

"The devastation of her loss to us, her family and friends is immeasurable."

Mr Kenny said the illness, which "took her from us so quickly", could "be avoided" and urged the government to improve access to the MenB vaccine for young people still at risk.

"No family should experience this pain and tragedy," he said. "The work to protect young people has started. It needs to be more."

Vinny Smith, chief executive of Meningitis Research Foundation, told BBC Breakfast that a "nationally, freely available vaccine programme" was necessary to reduce the risk MenB poses to teenagers and young adults.

He said a vaccine programme has been "looked at very carefully over a number of years, but it falls at the cost effectiveness hurdle".

However, experts say the case for whether to routinely vaccinate teenagers against Men B is complicated.

Earlier this week, Wes Streeting said he had asked the independent vaccine advisory body, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), to revisit its advice on a wider catch up programme in light of the Canterbury outbreak.

Smith welcomed this review, but suggested the "framework" for deciding whether a national vaccine programme was necessary needed to change so that the "impact of this disease is accounted for".

University students have been queuing for hours for the vaccine this week, with at least 2,360 jabs administered as of Friday morning, according to Kent and Medway Integrated Care System.

It also said the number of antibiotics given so far is 9,840.

More than 100 students were turned away on Thursday due to the queue being too long for all to be seen by staff before the end of the day.

A new vaccination centre will open at Faversham Health Centre on Friday as part of the expansion, with jabs available to those eligible from 09:00.

Vaccines will also be available at the Vicarage Lane Clinic in Ashford.

James Williams Healthy Living Centre, in the Pentagon Centre in Chatham will offer antibiotics only.

Of the 27 confirmed or suspected meningitis cases - up from 20 on Wednesday - one has been confirmed at a higher education institution in London, which was "directly linked" to those in Canterbury, the UKHSA said.

Three cheerleaders from the University of Kent are among those in hospital, according to a team member, and supermarket chain Morrisons said that a member of its staff who attended Club Chemistry had contracted meningitis.

At 11:00 GMT on Friday, health authorities are due to hold a media briefing in Kent to give the latest updates on the outbreak.

On Thursday, Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the BBC that the risk remained "extremely low".

"It's absolutely fine for people to go about living their lives in a normal way," he said.

Forty MPs have signed a letter to Streeting calling on the government and health officials to work with universities on catch-up vaccination programmes, and to improve awareness.

The UKHSA has also issued a public health alert for doctors in England to watch out for meningitis symptoms.

Its chief executive, Prof Susan Hopkins, told the BBC that she had never seen "such an explosive start to a meningitis outbreak".

She said the strain that had been detected had been circulating for five years.

Hopkins added that the bacteria was being studied and hopefully there would be more answers in the coming days and weeks.

Historically the "vast majority" of meningitis outbreaks had been successfully controlled by interventions, she added.