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Vaccine update: issue 372, June 2026, MenB special

Published 1 July 2026

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2026

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vaccine-update-issue-371-june-2026-menb-special/vaccine-update-issue-372-june-2026-menb-special

New Meningococcal B vaccine programme

Introduction of MenB time-limited vaccine programme

From 20 July 2026 the Meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine should be offered to those in the current year 13 age group, and eligible higher and further education entrants aged under 25 years for the 2026 to 2027 academic year.

The MenB vaccination programme was introduced following the unprecedented outbreak of MenB in March 2026 and more recently. The offer letter outlines the time-limited offer of MenB vaccination to those considered at highest risk. It includes the eligibility criteria, and information about the 2 doses required for protection from MenB.

Resources available

We have a range of new resources available to support the new MenB vaccination programme.

A guide to Meningococcal B vaccination for eligible young people

This leaflet is a guide for teenagers and young people who are eligible for the MenB vaccine as part of the offer to new university and higher education entrants in the 2026 to 2027 academic year.

Paper copies of this leaflet are available to download and order for free from Find Public Health Resources using product code 13347EN001.

This leaflet will also be available in a range of accessible formats and community languages in due course.

This MenB vaccination consent form should be used to record every MenB vaccine given. This consent form can be downloaded and ordered for free from Find Public Health Resources using product code 1334AEN001.

MenB vaccination poster – under 25

This is an A3-sized poster that should be displayed in any service offering the MenB vaccine to eligible young adults. This poster can be downloaded and ordered for free from Find Public Health Resources using product code 13349EN001.

MenB vaccinations card

This record card should be given to anyone who has received one dose of MenB vaccine, to remind them to attend the clinic for their second dose to complete the course. Each pack contains 25 cards, and can be downloaded and ordered for free from Find Public Health Resources using product code 13348EN001.

MenB digital display screens

The following images are suitable for digital display screens in any service promoting or offering the MenB vaccine.

‘Are you eligible for the MenB vaccine’

‘Who is eligible for the MenB vaccine’

‘Have your MenB vaccine here’

NIN 2026 recap

The National Immunisation Network (NIN) Conference 2026 took place on 9 and 10 June, at the Park Plaza Victoria London. The theme this year was ‘Home!’, looking at the different ways immunisation helps keep us safe wherever we call home.

Charlotte Ryan, CONSENSUS Service Delivery Manager at UKHSA, said:

I had a great time at NIN 26! For my first ever conference it was a nice balance of getting updates on the work I see happening around me day to day, a public health overview and attitudes, and my favourite topic – vaccines!

It was excellent to see work that has taken place in other sectors and to get feedback from those on the ground during the Men B outbreak. It would be a privilege to be able to attend next year for another years’ worth of updates.

The programme featured presentations on cutting‑edge, data‑driven advances in vaccines across the life course and the far‑reaching impact they have on economies and societies. Experts from across the field brought the latest data and scientific insights to life, shared how they’re powering improvements to the national programme, and revealed standout discoveries in vaccine evaluation, rollout, and uptake across the UK.

Day 1 had a strong scientific focus and included hot topic sessions on vaccine development, programme expansions and the future of the national routine and non-routine vaccination programmes.

Day 2 had an operational and implementation focus, and included sessions on outbreak response and routine immunisation rollout, as well as the annual poster competition winners.

The NIN conference is an essential face-to-face training and professional development meeting provided to bring together the UKHSA National Immunisation team, with colleagues from across the immunisation landscape who work on all aspects of commissioning and delivering the programmes. This event is especially important for all those involved in implementing strategies to improve uptake, address health inequalities and maintain and improve immunisation uptake rates in all settings.

Flu vaccination programme for 2026 to 2027

Guidance has been produced to assist primary and secondary school staff and headteachers with any questions about the annual flu vaccination programme for 2026 to 2027.

Paper copies of the briefings can be downloaded and ordered for free from the Find Public Health Resources website.

For the flu vaccination programme briefing for primary schools, use product code 218467MEN001.

For the flu vaccination programme briefing for secondary schools, use product code 218467NEN001.

Flu immunisation invitation letter template

This letter template can be downloaded and adapted to suit the needs of local healthcare teams. It should be sent to parents of eligible children, along with an accompanying information leaflet and consent form.

The consent form should be sent to parents of eligible children, along with an information leaflet.

COVID-19 vaccination: spring 2026 campaign resources

People aged 75 years and older, residents in care homes for older adults and those aged 6 months and over with a weakened immune system will be offered a dose of COVID-19 vaccine in spring 2026.

The main leaflet in English is available to download and order free of charge from Find Public Health Resources using product code 13114579EN001.

Translations of this leaflet are available to order and download in the following languages: Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Estonian, Farsi, French, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Romany, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tetum, Tigrinya, Turkish, Twi, Ukrainian, Urdu, Yiddish and Yoruba.

This leaflet is also available as audio, in braille, as a BSL video and a large print version.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination for older adults

The RSV vaccination programme has been expanded for spring 2026. Since April 2026 those aged 75 years and older, as well as adults of any age living in a care home for older adults, have been eligible for a free vaccine to protect them from RSV.

This leaflet can be downloaded and ordered free of charge from Find Public Health Resources using product code 1387447AEN001.

Translations of this leaflet are also available to order and download in the following languages: Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Estonian, Farsi, French, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Romany, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tetum, Tigrinya, Turkish, Twi, Ukrainian, Urdu, Yiddish and Yoruba.

This leaflet is available in the following accessible formats: audio, braille, BSL and large print.

Find Public Health Resources service

Thank you to all the colleagues who have been using the Find Public Health Resources service to order and download resources to support immunisation programmes.

We are aware of some of the technical difficulties that users have been facing and are grateful for all the feedback as we work to improve the service.

Members of the public can order 5 items. To access higher order limits, please ensure that you have registered using your work email address and organisation. If you would like to order a bulk quantity of resources, email publichealthresources@ukhsa.gov.uk. Delivery addresses should be entered as they appear on Google Maps or Land Registry data but please contact us if your address is still not being recognised.

For non-immunisation resources related to general health, visit the DHSC Campaign Resource Centre.

Vaccine supply

Routine vaccination programme

Batch numbers

Some packs of vaccine supplied by UKHSA contain more than one component, such as vaccine, diluent and so on. Each of these components may have the same, or different batch numbers and expiry dates. Where those details are different, it is the batch number and expiry date on the outside of the pack that should be used for date checking and recording in patient records.

As an example:

  • the vial of vaccine powder has an expiry date of 11/2027 and the batch number is A31FA032A
  • the diluent has an expiry of date of 10/2027 and the batch number is A31DA032A
  • the expiry date printed on the outside of the pack is 10/2027 and the batch number is A31CA032A. This batch number and expiry date should be used for date checking and recording in patient records.

Note that for traceability purposes, vaccine components should not be mixed between packs.

Timing of the live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) availability for the 2026 to 2027 children’s flu programme

Flu vaccines are ‘just in time’ products that are brought to market each year under very pressurised timelines and in very large volumes, following the World Health Organization strain selection announcement in late February each year.

Vaccines are biological products and manufacture can sometimes be unpredictable. There are multiple vaccine ‘platforms’ (such as egg-based and cell-based), and vaccine production systems differ across these platforms which can impact on timelines for individual products. LAIV is an egg-based vaccine and additionally a ‘live’ vaccine, which adds further complexity and risk to the manufacturing process. This must be taken into account when managing expectations around LAIV availability each year.

Feedback has suggested that confirming dates for LAIV availability in late summer (once vaccine production has reached specific milestones) can create operational challenge. UKHSA and NHS England have therefore been working together to explore how we can improve communication of LAIV availability, with a view to enabling providers to plan their programmes more effectively.

For 2026 to 2027, it has been agreed that UKHSA will share anticipated dates for LAIV availability for general practice and the school age immunisation service earlier than usual, and these are set out below.  

However, please note that these dates remain subject to change, and planning for vaccination sessions should continue to take account of this. The latest and most accurate information on all vaccines for the 2025 to 2026 children’s flu programme supplied by UKHSA will be provided on the ImmForm news page, so please check back regularly.

Anticipated LAIV availability 2026 to 2027[footnote 1]

Order opening First deliveries
Week commencing 31 August Week commencing 7 September

Information on LAIV availability for community pharmacies will be communicated through NHS England internal channels. 

Influenza vaccines for the 2026 to 2027 season

Information on all influenza vaccines that will be marketed in the UK for the 2026 to 2027 season are available at Influenza vaccines marketed in the UK.

Place orders only for delivery on days when your site is open.

ImmForm customers should place orders only for delivery on days when their site is open and able to accept the delivery. Non-ImmForm customers should refer to their local ordering guidance.

Delivery failures because of a site being closed create additional, unnecessary workload within the distribution network.

ImmForm customers can use the deferred order function to place orders for future dates when a site is open.

In the case of a one-off closure, ImmForm customers should immediately re-schedule the delivery date of orders due for delivery on that day.

For long-term changes to the days when a site can accept deliveries, ImmForm customers should contact their Movianto customer care team with details. Contact details are included on each Movianto delivery note. Short-term changes to delivery days cannot be made, such as for absence or holidays.

Reconstitution of MMRV vaccine – reminder!

An article was published in the February 2026 edition of Vaccine Update to draw vaccinators’ attention to the fact that, in some cases, the Priorix-Tetra® MMRV vaccine has been administered without being reconstituted. This article is being republished now to remind vaccinators of the importance of reconstituting the MMRV vaccines and to draw attention to the Direct Healthcare Professional Communication letter recently published by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the manufacturer of Priorix-Tetra®, about this error and the steps needed to ensure it does not occur. It will also be provided on the ImmForm website and distributed with each pack of Priorix-Tetra® ordered.

One of the main reasons given for this error has been reported to be due to the way the vaccines are set out in the box, with vaccinators unaware that the protective cardboard covering from inside the multi-pack 10-dose carton needs to be lifted and removed to expose the vials containing the lyophilised (freeze-dried) vaccine powder. This has resulted in failure to reconstitute the product as directed as being required in the manufacturer’s SPC, MMRV training slide set and UKHSA healthcare practitioner guidance, and only the diluent (water for injections) in the pre-filled syringe being administered. This means that the vaccine recipient will not be protected against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella and a further injection of properly reconstituted MMRV vaccine will need to be given.

Before giving the Priorix-Tetra® MMRV vaccine, please could you ensure that all internal cardboard protective covering is fully removed so that both the pre-filled syringes containing diluent and the lyophilised vaccine vials are clearly visible. Please could you also check that your colleagues are aware of this issue so that further errors can be prevented. As a reminder, before giving any new vaccine, all vaccinators should familiarise themselves with the packaging, preparation and recommendations for administration.

The 10-dose pack of Priorix-Tetra® vaccine supplied by UKHSA (through ImmForm) contains 10 single-dose vials of vaccine powder, 10 pre-filled syringes of diluent and one patient information leaflet (PIL). Each 10-dose pack of Priorix-Tetra® vaccine will be delivered with a pad of 10 additional PILs. Packs of Priorix-Tetra® vaccine do not contain needles for administration.

ProQuad® MMRV vaccine also requires reconstitution. It is being supplied by UKHSA in single dose packs containing one vial of powder, one pre-filled syringe containing solvent and 2 unattached needles.

Information on reconstitution for both MMRV vaccines can be found in the following documents:

Where an MMRV immunisation error has occurred, guidance can be found in the document MMRV information for healthcare practitioners. Any errors should also be reported to the local Screening and Immunisation Team.

Non-routine vaccine supply

Hepatitis A vaccine

Adult

  • GSK: supply of Havrix Adult PFS singles and packs of 10 are currently available
  • Sanofi Pasteur: Avaxim PFS singles are currently available. Avaxim packs of 10 are currently available
  • MSD: VAQTA Adult is available

Paediatric

  • GSK: supply of Havrix Paediatric singles and packs of 10 are currently available
  • MSD: VAQTA Paediatric is available
  • Sanofi Pasteur: Avaxim Junior singles are currently available

Hepatitis B vaccine

Adult

  • GSK: Engerix B PFS singles and packs of 10 are currently available
  • GSK: Supply of Fendrix is currently available
  • MSD: HBVAXPRO 10 µg is available
  • MSD: HBVAXPRO 40 µg is out of stock until mid-June 2026
  • Valneva: PreHevbri is no longer marketed in the UK

Paediatric

  • GSK: Supplies of Engerix B Paediatric singles is currently available
  • MSD: HBVAXPRO 5µg is available

Combined hepatitis A and B vaccine

  • GSK: Twinrix Adult singles and packs of 10 are available
  • GSK: Twinrix Paediatric is currently available
  • GSK: Ambirix is available

Combined hepatitis A and typhoid vaccine

  • Sanofi Pasteur: Viatim is now a discontinued product and no longer available for sale

Typhoid vaccine

  • Sanofi Pasteur: Typhim singles and packs of 10 are available
  • Bavarian Nordic: Vivotif is available

Rabies vaccine

  • Bavarian Nordic: Rabipur is currently available
  • Sanofi Pasteur: Verorab is available to order with some restrictions

Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV)

  • MSD: Private supply of Pneumovax 23 (PPV23) PFS discontinued November 2025

Pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine (PCV)

  • Pfizer: Prevenar 13 is currently available
  • Pfizer: Prevenar 20 is currently available
  • MSD: Vaxneuvance is currently available
  • MSD: Capvaxive®▼ is currently available

Varicella zoster vaccine

  • GSK: VARILRIX is currently out of stock with resupply date TBC
  • MSD: VARIVAX is available
  • MSD: ZOSTAVAX is a discontinued product

Diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis (inactivated) vaccine

  • Sanofi Pasteur: Revaxis is available

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (acellular) and poliomyelitis (inactivated) vaccine

  • GSK: Supply of Boostrix-IPV is currently available
  • Sanofi Pasteur: Repevax is currently available

MMR

  • MSD: MMR Vaxpro is currently available
  • GSK: Priorix is currently available

Meningitis ACWY vaccine

  • GSK: Menveo is currently available
  • Pfizer: Nimenrix is currently available
  • Sanofi Pasteur: MenQuadfi is available  

Yellow fever

  • Sanofi Pasteur: Stamaril is available to order without restrictions

Human papillomavirus vaccine

  • MSD: Gardasil 9 is currently available
  • GSK: Cervarix has been discontinued

Cholera vaccine

  • Valneva: Dukoral is available
  • Bavarian Nordic: Vaxchora is available

Japanese encephalytis vaccine

  • Valneva: Ixiaro is currently out of stock

Meningococcal group B vaccine

  • GSK: Supply of Bexsero is available

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Hib vaccine and poliomyelitis

  • GSK: Infanrix IPV+Hib is currently available

Live attenuated rotavirus vaccine

  • GSK: Rotarix is currently available

Herpes zoster vaccine

  • GSK: Supply of Shingrix is currently available

Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis

  • Sanofi Pasteur: Adacel is currently available

Dengue tetravalent vaccine

  • Takeda: Qdenga is currently available

Respiratory syncytial virus vaccine

  • Pfizer: Abrysvo is currently available
  • GSK: Arevxy is currently available

Chikungunya vaccine

  • Valneva: IXCHIQ®▼ is out of stock
  • Bavarian Nordic: Vimkunya®▼ is available

Clesrovimab

  • MSD: Enflonsia▼ is currently available

  1. As of the date of this communication. Remains subject to change.  ↩

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