Meningitis vaccine demand increasing, says pharmacist

A pharmacist from the West Midlands has said enquiries about the meningitis vaccine have increased following the major outbreak in Kent.

Malkit Singh, lead pharmacist at Walker's Pharmacy in Great Barr, said worried parents had been contacting the pharmacy about protecting their children.

It comes as health officials confirmed six more cases linked to the outbreak, bringing the total of confirmed cases up to 15, including two deaths.

Singh said his team had been reassuring parents and giving the signs and symptoms to look out for.

"If anybody is from the Kent area and they suspect somebody might be suffering from meningitis, the main point is to act quickly," he said.

"But it is a low risk for the rest of the country."

Nationally, Superdrug has reported bookings for its meningitis vaccine service are 65 times higher than a week ago.

Currently, about half of the confirmed cases in the Kent outbreak are known to be caused by meningococcal group B, otherwise known as MenB.

Singh said a MenB vaccine was available, but supplies could initially be limited for vulnerable groups like the elderly and babies.

"We are seeing reports on the website that the government has enough vaccines in stock," he said.

"They may be limiting the stock initially just to make sure that those people that require it get access to it.

"We just need to reassure parents that there will be availability of the vaccine."

The pharmacist urged anyone concerned to watch for symptoms including severe headaches, high temperature, sensitivity to light and a stiff neck, and to call 999 if symptoms were severe.

Dr Anjan Ghosh, director of public health in Kent, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that officials were "not in a position yet to say that definitively" when asked whether the outbreak had been contained to the area.

"We are looking at what's called secondary transmission," he said.

"That's a case that's then transmitted to another couple of people. We need to rule that out before we can say it's definitely contained."

It comes after a University of Kent student told the BBC of fleeing home to Birmingham following the outbreak.

Mashaal Chughtai, 22, who studies law, said she waited almost two hours in long queues for antibiotics before her parents drove the eight-hour round trip from Birmingham to collect her.

"I remember seeing some people in hazmat suits," she said. "I remember seeing some ambulances.

"It just feels like a simulation. It feels like Covid all over again. It's just surreal."

The West Midlands UK Health and Security Agency team has urged any students from the region who were at Club Chemistry in Kent on 5, 6 or 7 March to have precautionary antibiotics.

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