Thousands of young people in the Weymouth, Portland and Chickerell areas of Dorset are receiving antibiotics and vaccinations for Meningitis B following three cases in the area.

Dorset HealthCare is rolling out the programme to 6,500 eligible young people to help prevent further spread of the disease.

With just two days’ notice, the trust initially stood up an antibiotic clinic last weekend for students at Budmouth and Wey Valley Academies, where the young people who had contracted the disease are pupils. Those three young people have been receiving treatment and their close contacts have been offered antibiotics.

Earlier this week, the service moved to an in-school model, delivering both antibiotics and vaccinations to All Saints Academy, Budmouth Academy and Wey Valley Academy so far with Atlantic Academy, Coastland Academy and special educational needs schools being covered throughout the rest of the week.

There are also evening clinics every day from 4pm-8pm at All Saints Academy for anyone else in the target age group who lives in Weymouth but doesn’t attend one of these settings or who goes to schools elsewhere or isn’t in full time education.

Hundreds of staff from Dorset HealthCare and other Dorset organisations have come forward to offer their help delivering the service and Dorset Council has been working closely with schools to share information and invitations to the clinics.

By the end of Tuesday (21 April) a total of 2,520 antibiotics had been issued and 1,326 vaccinations given.

Dawn Dawson, Chief Nursing Officer at Dorset HealthCare and Dorset County Hospital, said:

“Our staff have been amazing in stepping up to this challenge at short notice and we’ve also had a fantastic response from all our partners across the local NHS, councils and voluntary sector.

“This has been a major logistical operation involving clinicians, incident managers, pharmacists, admin colleagues and many more who have all responded with a can-do attitude and our usual focus on delivering excellent patient care.

“A big thank you to parents, carers and families and of course the young people themselves for coming forward so promptly to get protected. I know how worrying this will be for many people and it’s been great to see the calm, practical response from our communities.”

Dr Beth Smout, Interim Deputy Director of Health Protection at UK Health Security Agency (HSA) South West said:

“We’ve been really impressed with the response in Dorset which has demonstrated the very best of partnership working. There has been a real sense of team and of all being in this together. I am very proud of our collective efforts, and grateful to everyone on the ground who is delivering such a responsive and agile service to the local community.

“We are really pleased to see such high uptake of the antibiotic offer over the weekend and start of this week alongside vaccinations. Antibiotics are the best course of action if there is a chance you have been exposed to meningococcal bacteria, with MenB vaccination offering longer term protection against becoming seriously ill.

“We are inviting anyone in this cohort to come forward when offered by their school, or to attend one of the evening clinics if you won’t be offered in school - this is really important to help protect against further cases.

“Thankfully we have seen no further cases of meningitis, but it’s still important to recognise the signs and symptoms. Symptoms can include a fever, headache, rapid breathing, drowsiness, shivering, vomiting and cold hands and feet. Septicaemia can also cause a characteristic rash that does not fade when pressed against a glass. If the disease is suspected, you should seek immediate medical attention as the disease can progress rapidly.”

Young people are eligible for antibiotics and the vaccine if:

  • They are a resident in Weymouth or Portland or Chickerell and in current school years 7 to 13 (or equivalent), or anyone not in full time education who would be in one of these year groups, or
  • They attend an educational setting in the Weymouth, Portland or Chickerell area and are in current school years 7 to 13 (or equivalent).

They should attend the clinic in their own school if possible but if they missed this, did not have an in-school clinic, are not in school or go to school out of area, they can attend any evening clinic (between 4pm – 8pm) at All Saints Academy, bringing their letter and proof of ID. Young people aged under 16 will need to be accompanied by a parent or carer.

Further information on Meningitis and symptoms to look out for is available on the UKHSA blog - UKHSA blog or the NHS website.