The Director of Public Health has issued a clarification on advice for students and parents, following the confirmation that the strain currently circulating in Kent and the Canterbury outbreak is Meningitis B.
There are currently two different vaccines available that offer protection against various strains of meningitis.
Meningitis B vaccine
For people born in 2015 or after, vaccination against Meningitis B is offered at age 2 months, 3 months and 13 months. No booster is required and protection is lifelong.
This means that university age students will not have been vaccinated against Meningitis B and this vaccine is not currently routinely offered by the GHA or the UK NHS.
The UK Government this afternoon announced a targeted vaccine campaign for University of Kent students. The GHA will also offer Meningitis B vaccines free of charge in Gibraltar to any student of the University of Kent studying in the affected campus who has not previously had the vaccine or who is not able to receive it in the UK before returning to Gibraltar for the Easter break.
Meningitis ACWY vaccine
The Meningitis ACWY vaccine is given to school children in Year 9, and those who didn’t receive it were sent a reminder in their final school year 13.
Students who have already received the Meningitis ACWY vaccine do not need to be vaccinated again.
Although these strains are not currently known to be circulating in the Kent / Canterbury outbreak, it is important to be up to date with vaccination against them because these strains are the most common among university-age students.
Check your vaccination status
Students and parents can check their vaccination status by contacting the GHA Child Health Department:
• by calling 200 03351 between 8am - 12pm on weekdays
• by calling 200 07962 between 8am – 4pm on weekdays
• by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Arrange a vaccination
The GHA is encouraging any Gibraltar students who have not yet received the Meningitis ACWY vaccine to consider arranging vaccination while they are in Gibraltar during the Easter holidays, before returning to university.
Meningitis ACWY (all students) and Meningitis B vaccines (for University of Kent students only) can be arranged through the Primary Care Centre by calling 200 66966 between 9am and 3pm on weekdays.
The Director of Public Health, Dr Helen Carter, said: ‘I strongly encourage all university age students to check their vaccination status and arrange for any necessary vaccines whilst in Gibraltar for the Easter break.
‘It’s important to emphasise that there are no known cases linked to Gibraltar and the risk remains relatively low. However, because most university age students will yet not be protected against Meningitis B, it is important to stay informed of local advice in your area, know the symptoms and call 111 for medical advice as soon as these develop. I strongly encourage all University of Kent students from the affected campus to get vaccinated against Meningitis B as soon as possible, either in the UK or here in Gibraltar.”
Call 111 as soon as any of the following symptoms develop:
• rash
• fever
• severe headache
• vomiting
• light sensitivity
• neck stiffness
