A mother whose son almost lost his life after contracting meningitis is urging for a vaccination program to be implemented for teenagers and young adults.

Gaynor Simpson, aged 54, expressed that she would have immediately vaccinated her son Ross if she had known about the vaccine earlier. Ross, a computing science student at the University of Glasgow, was placed on life support for five days due to severe meningococcal disease progressing to sepsis.

Despite Ross’s recovery, Gaynor is deeply affected by the recent meningitis outbreak that claimed the lives of two young individuals. She emphasized the importance of making the meningitis vaccine widely available to prevent further tragedies.

Ross, then 18, was rushed to the hospital in February 2023 with symptoms of meningitis, such as severe headaches, a stiff neck, and sensitivity to light. He fell ill suddenly while living with two other students in a shared flat.

Although the menB vaccine was introduced for babies in 2015, individuals born before this time have not received it through the NHS. There are growing demands for the government to extend vaccination coverage to all age groups in response to the current outbreak in Kent.

Gaynor, residing in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, advocates for Meningitis Now and supports the call for teenagers and young adults to receive the meningitis B vaccine through the NHS, along with a booster program by 2030 for those initially vaccinated as infants.

Expressing her desire for broader vaccine availability, Gaynor stressed the need for young people to be protected during the high-risk period of meningitis development. She highlighted the confusion parents face when discovering the availability of vaccines, noting that if she had known about the menB vaccine earlier, Ross would have received it without hesitation.

Ross received the MenACWY vaccine during his teenage years, distinct from the meningitis B vaccine. Gaynor believes that parents may be misled into thinking their children are fully protected by the vaccines provided by the NHS.

The UK Health Security Agency reported 15 confirmed cases of meningitis, with nine of them attributed to menB as of Wednesday at 5 pm. The agency is actively investigating an additional 12 suspected cases.