Two primary vaccines are available to protect against the main causes of meningitis and septicaemia. The MenACWY vaccine protects against four strains of bacteria – A, C, W, and Y – that can lead to meningitis. This vaccine is administered to 14-year-olds, with individuals up to age 25 eligible to receive it for free if they missed their dose.
Another vaccine, the MenB, targets meningococcal group B bacteria. It is recommended for infants at eight weeks old, with a second dose at 12 weeks and a booster dose at one year of age. Importantly, these vaccines do not contain live bacteria and therefore cannot cause meningitis.
Meningitis can sometimes develop as a secondary complication following other infections. Consequently, several other standard vaccinations also contribute to protecting individuals from meningitis. The six-in-one vaccine, given to young children, offers protection against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, polio, and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). Additionally, a pneumococcal vaccine is provided to infants to safeguard them against severe infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria, including meningitis.
The MMRV vaccine, which superseded the MMR vaccine in January 2026, provides infants with protection against measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox. The MMR vaccine remains available free of charge for individuals of any age who did not receive it during childhood.
Full protection from any vaccine typically takes a couple of weeks to develop, and some vaccines require subsequent booster doses to maintain immunity. Bacteria that cause meningitis can be carried asymptomatically in the nose or throat of some individuals, who can then transmit the bacteria to others without exhibiting symptoms themselves.