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Meningitis can be caused by a number of different infections, so several vaccinations offer some protection against it.
Children should receive most of these as part of the NHS vaccination schedule.
Speak to your GP if you're not sure whether you or your child's vaccinations are up to date.
The MenB vaccine offers protection against meningococcal group B bacteria, which are a common cause of meningitis in young children in the UK.
The vaccine is recommended for babies aged 8 weeks, followed by a second dose at 12 weeks and a booster at 1 year.
The 6-in-1 vaccine, also known as the DTaP/IPV/Hib/Hep BÂ vaccine, offers protection against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib).
Hib are a type of bacteria that can cause meningitis.
The vaccine is given on 3 separate occasions, when babies are 8, 12 and 16 weeks old.
The pneumococcal vaccine offers protection against serious infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria, including meningitis.
Babies are offered the pneumococcal vaccine as 2 separate injections at 16 weeks with a booster given at 1 year of age. A single dose is offered to adults aged 65 or over.
The meningitis C vaccine offers protection against a type of bacteria called meningococcal group C bacteria, which can cause meningitis.
Babies are offered a combined Hib/MenC vaccine at 1 year of age (if they were born on or before 30 June 2024).
The MMR vaccine offers protection against measles, mumps and rubella. Meningitis can sometimes occur as a complication of these infections.
The vaccine is usually given to babies at 1 year of age. They'll then have a second dose when they're 3 years and 4 months old.
The MenACWY vaccine offers protection against 4 types of bacteria that can cause meningitis: meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y.
The vaccine is offered to teenagers aged 14 years old. It is also offered to people up to the age of 25 who have never had a vaccine containing MenC.
