Our School is one of 26 schools involved in the Meningitis B ‘Be on the Team’ study, looking at fighting Meningitis B in teenagers.  The study, led by the University of Oxford, is collecting data from students across the country to understand the carriage rate of the meningococcus bacteria in young people.  It also seeks to understand how effective a new NHS national vaccination programme would be in fighting the disease.

On Friday 18th October over 70 of the Lower Sixth gave up their time to take part in this important study.  The team from the NHS collected a simple throat swab from the students and asked them to complete a very simple tick box survey about their lifestyle choices.  

Every student that took part will be offered a free Meningitis B vaccine (Bexsero) in 12 months’ time, if they wish to have it.  The vaccine is licensed for use in young adults but is not currently available on the NHS.  To access the vaccination privately costs between £95 and £130 per dose.  Students require two doses and national stocks are low.  The aim is to recruit and vaccinate over 2,500 students across Kent to protect them on their onward journey into higher education.

There is another opportunity for any of the current Lower Sixth to take part in this study, on Monday 11th November.