Southampton expert urges people not to panic about spread of meningitis outbreak
It comes as Kent's meningitis outbreak continues
A University of Southampton infectious diseases expert is urging people on the South Coast to not panic about a spread of the meningitis outbreak.
It comes after an outbreak of the disease in Kent has seen nearly 30 people to develop it.
Professor Saul Faust is a lecturer in Children's Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.
He said: "If your young person has come home from university in Kent and they've had a dose of antibiotic, there is no need to worry.
"There's no special precautions needed.
"If they've had a vaccine, then after a couple of weeks, that vaccine will start to take effect, but I'm sure they'll also be offered a second dose in due course by the university.
"The dose of antibiotic would have got rid of the meningococcus bacteria from people's throats, so there's really no need for a general worry or anxiety.
"The group B vaccine is available for people to purchase at some chemists and has been available at the major pharmacies, but there's really no panic to go ahead and try to source a vaccine for most teenagers.
"When this has all calmed down, parents can think about whether they want to do that before their child goes off to university in due course, but there's no urgency and panic today in March 2026."
Professor Faust told us more about people outside of Kent worrying about vaccines.
He added: "I don't think people need to rush out and get the vaccine.
"If people have been considered to be at risk, the public health authorities, UKHSA and NHS will reach out and they will offer it to the people who need it as it's an expensive vaccine.
"In the cold light of day, parents can choose in the future all over the country whether they wish to buy the vaccine for their children or teenagers before they go to university.
"But there's no great rush at the moment and certainly my opinion is that anybody who needs a vaccine will have been offered one by the national programme.
"The most important thing for students in Kent is that they've had the antibiotics they would have been offered.
"It's a single dose of antibiotic that will clear the bacteria from their throat and will take away this strain that obviously is a bit more infected and causing more disease than other forms of the bug at the moment."