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Updates & News

MARCH 2026

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UPDATES FOR ALL

This was published in January but adding here (and on this bit of my site) so it doesn't get lost. Could we be seeing a fair few legal and practical changes this year in relation to how immunisations are delivered? Check out the 'PVD' suggestion! Proposal to amend the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to support the ongoing supply and deployment of vaccinations across the UK: consultation response. If, like me, you find it a bit confusing to trawl through (the reg numbers confused me and I had to keep scrolling back up to see which one it was referring to) I have simplified and summarised it here. I re-did the COVID-19 ELFHC course now it's been updated for Spring and noticed they commented about a new legal mechanism being implemented before the campaign starts too... I wonder if this is what it is referring to? (update - it was, see updates further down)

3rd March: Update to the complete routine immunisation poster to add links to the translated versions of the complete routine immunisation schedule and update to the ‘Complete routine immunisation schedule' from 1 January 2026’ html to include adult schedule.

11th March: Vaccine Update has landed!! Shocking wastage statistics in there eeeek. Other highlights in brief: From 1 April 2026, the eligibility criteria for the RSV programme will change to allow people aged 80 years and over, and all residents (regardless of age) in care homes for older adults, to receive the RSV vaccine. Various documents have been updated so do have a browse of those. Also, UKHSA has received emails from several regional Screening and Immunisation Teams to report incidents where Priorix-Tetra has been administered without being reconstituted. This means some kids have just been injected with water. Be super careful to understand the presentation of the products being administered. On the topic of presentation, there is also a note that from spring 2026, the pack size of Rotarix vaccine will change from a single-dose to a 10-dose pack. The vaccine inside remains unchanged. There is also information about the change from PPV23 to PCV20. There is also a reminder to get the final flu vaccine orders in soon before it all closes.

11th March: There has been a survey added to the 'attitudes' collection around pregnant women's attitudes to vaccination. 800 women took part. There is a summary and a related slideset too.

15th March: Mega sad :-( Two die in university meningitis outbreak - not sure which strain yet *Update - it's Menb*. But if it's a vaccine-preventable one it makes it all the more tragic (*Update : turns out it is*). Keep an eye on live updates here. Could we be anticipating a vaccine catch up? (Update: Targeted locally, yes, alongside prophylactic ABX) UKHSA is on it... let's await further news. MenB for adolescents has been discussed for a while now. Those poor students :-( so sad. Here's some more from UKHSA: Latest updates from the ongoing outbreak.

17th March: Meningitis outbreak in Canterbury and east Kent: The Secretary of State Wes Streeting updated the House of Commons on the meningitis outbreak and the latest steps being taken to support those affected.

18th March: Outbreak of invasive meningococcal disease, South East England: This alert outlines recommended courses of action to manage cases with infection and contacts. Also take a look at this: Meningitis B outbreak: what you need to know. AND here is the inevitable letter to ICBs.

18th March: Green book chapter update alert!! COVID-19. Updated vaccine information (types, storage, administrations and dosing) for the Spring 2026 campaign. Sections of the chapter have been restructured for easier use (PHEW!).

17th March 2026: ELfHC module updated, ready for April! Check it out if delivering COVID-19 vaccines. PGD also ready to go.

19th March: Meningococcal disease outbreak resources for those in areas affected by the outbreak: resources to support the meningococcal outbreak response. The Health Secretary says he’s making 20 thousand more vaccines available and everyone who has had antibiotics (the most important immediate action) is also being offered vaccines.

19th March: From the primary care bulletin: MMR vaccinations for practice staff:

"Due to the recent measles outbreaks, GP practices are permitted to administer MMR vaccines to their eligible staff who are registered with another practice under INT (immediately necessary treatment). This is a time limited arrangement from 1 April 2026 to 30 September 2026. Completing doses must be administered in accordance with the recommended intervals in the Green Book and by 30 September 2026."

19th March 2026: New COVID-19 vaccine posters!

20th March 2026: MenB strain may have evolved to be more transmissible (BMJ)

21st March 2026: A meningitis B training slide set for healthcare professionals delivering vaccinations is available to download.

23rd March 2026: Meningitis: Kent outbreak “passes peak” as one new suspected case is reported in northwest England (BMJ). In response to the outbreak, over 12,500 young people have received antibiotic treatment and over 9,000 have received vaccinations. This is a pretty incredible effort, well done to those who got on it quickly.

23rd March 2026: Useful bit of info around VGDs from SPS. Interesting that it talks about them being introduced in the past tense in April 2026 (which isn't here yet as I'm writing this haha). SPS are clearly on it with future-proofing their articles! I also had a go at a blog just so I could make myself clear on it (copied SPS logic and went with talking from the future seeing as it looks like it's happening pretty soon). Often writing it down helps me work things out. It's called VGDs, PGDs… OMG? Making Sense of the New Vaccine Rules. A very useful webinar explaining this in detail can be found at the bottom of this page on SPS.

25th March: Kent meningitis outbreak prompts rush for routine vaccinations in England

26th March: Flu uptake data updated. Check out the GP patients uptake here and frontline healthcare workers here. Summary is overall: 65+: 74.5%, clinical risk groups: 40.6%, pregnant women, 38.4%: 2 yr olds: 43.5%, 3yr olds: 44.8%, frontline HCPs: 46.1% (better than the 37.5% compared to last year).

CHILDHOOD IMMUNISATION NEWS

5th March: Calling all school nurses! This was just updated: Supporting immunisation programmes

17th march: Green Book chapter update alert! Hib: Updated to include the latest epidemiological data and align with current guidance on vaccination for case contacts and in outbreak scenarios.

19th March: Decided it was time for a rotavirus blog: Rotarix: Starter or Dessert?

25th March: Further updates in the rotavirus Information for Healthcare Practitioners guidance regarding vaccine interchangeability and administration via a feeding tube.

26th March: Quarterly Uptake data updated. Scotland and Wales seem to be doing better on MMR and the 6in1 than England on the whole, although it's highly variable by region.

TRAVEL HEALTH NEWS

Loving the new CPD section on Travel Health Pro- check it out! Also have a browse on ISTMs sparkly new resource center.

5th March: Ahhh more signs that brighter days are on their way with a factsheet about Spring travel from NaTHNaC.

4th March: Check out the latest Polio news from the 44th Emergency Committee meeting. In the latest International Health Regulations Statement, countries with a change in polio status since the last meeting (which may mean a change to polio vaccination recommendations) are Finland, Germany, Ghana, Laos, Namibia and Spain. In addition to listing the current polio status of a country and changes to status in their regular review meetings, the Emergency Committee stipulates criteria that must be met in order to assess whether a country is no longer infected by wild polio virus 1 (WPV1) or circulating vaccine derived poliovirus (cVDPV); a country assessed as 'no longer infected' is monitored for a further 12 months. It's worth noting that the most recent cVDPV detection in the UK was on 16 Sep 2025 (find the related category explaining what to do about this in the full report). Afghanistan and Pakistan are of particular concern for WPV. However, in 2025 (as of 31 December), a total of 202 cVDPV cases and 218 environmental detections were reported globally across 27 countries. The Committee unanimously concluded (yet again) that the risk of international spread of polio viruses continues to constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and recommended extending the temporary recommendations for a further three months. The Committee, after a thorough review of the epidemiological and programmatic situation, unanimously concluded that the event does not constitute a pandemic emergency. Still pretty worrying though eh?

10th March: Sabin Vaccine Institute Completes Enrollment in All Phase 2 Clinical Trials for cAd3-Marburg Vaccine and cAd3-Sudan Ebolavirus Vaccine

12th March: Qdenga contender...? Butantan dengue vaccine estimated to be 81% effective against severe disease for at least 5 years

17th March: Chikungunya vaccine in UK travellers: JCVI advice. - but no further mention of the under 60 comorbidities (hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and/or chronic kidney disease) or 30 day prior to travel administration with IXCHIQ highlighted in feb by MHRA.... I feel like I missed something? Maybe I did. Been a long day.

Just announced! The date for the RCN/NaTHNaC conference in 2026 is 26th September. Can't wait! I go to this every year and always learn tonnes. Register your interest here.

29th March: UKHSA published the travel-associated infections report with case numbers of selected travel-associated infections reported in England, Wales and Northern Ireland during 2025. Quick summary here:

  • Chikungunya cases rose to 160 in 2025 (from 112 in 2024), mostly linked to travel to Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh.

  • Cholera cases increased to 14 (from 9); nearly all were travel-related, mainly to Pakistan and India.

  • Dengue cases fell to 344 (from 904), with travel to India, Thailand and Indonesia.

  • Rickettsial infections were similar (40 vs 44), mostly linked to South Africa.

  • Zika cases dropped to 7 (from 16), mainly after travel to India and Thailand.

  • Oropouche virus was reported for the first time (3 cases), linked to Brazil.

  • No cases of Japanese encephalitis or yellow fever were reported.

ADULT IMMUNISATION NEWS

11th March: RSV Information for Healthcare Practitioners updated to include expansion to 80+. New slide set produced too. Check them out! From 1 April 2026, all adults aged 75 and over or those living in a care home for older adults can get the RSV vaccine. Please support those eligible to come forward through opportunistic conversation and by utilising the communications assets available on the Campaign Resource Centre.

18th March: Whilst we are on RSV... RSV vaccination for older adults and pregnant women in the East of England: Synthesis of learning from a community pharmacy pilot

27th Feb 2026: Meningococcal B vaccine fails to prevent gonorrhea, trial finds. Eeeek this is not great news :-( gonorrhoea is able to evade almost every medicine used to treat it.

CLICK ON A VACCINE FOR A DEEPER DIVE (all the news items also go into the individual portals if you want to concentrate on updates for a specific disease)

My reading list this month:

Had a lovely day earlier this month in Exeter teaching on this masterclass. Big drive from Manchester but well worth it to hear talks from some brilliantly strong and passionate women. The day started with an update from Jane Chiodini that hit all the right spots. Then came a fabulous talk about travel with children from Cat Brewer. Following this there was an informative talk from Johanna, lead RIGS nurse. And next came a very powerful talk from Cathy Foley, a mother who told the story of loosing her son to carbon monoxide poisoning. I cried all the way through and Jane had to keep passing me tissues. Learn all about the story around her son, Hudson, here and PLEASE get a carbon monoxide detector if you have any fuel-burning appliances, and recommend to all your travellers!!

Calling all vaccinators!!! Look out for MenB contacts all across the UK (students are heading home and that could be ANYWHERE): All GP surgeries can offer MenB vaccine to certain groups. As of 19th March, this includes:

  • Students at the University of Kent who are normally resident on the Canterbury Campus, including those who may have now travelled home. Some staff living or working in these Halls of Residence have also been offered antibiotic prophylaxis.

  • Students in relevant halls of residence or other private dwellings who attend other universities in Canterbury and have been advised to take an antibiotic due to a close contact.

  • Individuals who attended Club Chemistry from 5 March until it closed voluntarily on March 16.

This list may be added to in the coming days as further information emerges.

Sixth form or other year groups and education settings in Kent where there are confirmed or probable cases are also eligible and have been notified by schools or UKHSA. Local arrangements are in place to offer vaccination to this group. Anyone in an eligible groups who presents can be vaccinated across the country. UKHSA are asking that an offer is in place by no later than Monday 23 March, if not sooner.