UCAS
In the frenzy of excitement and emotion between A level results and a young adult leaving for university, it is unlikely that vaccinations will be one of your priorities. However it's important to check that you have had a meningitis vaccination. You may have had this when you were in school, but if not, there is a meningitis vaccine available for young adults. If you;re not sure, you can easily check by contacting your GP.
If you need the vaccination, make an appointment with your GP surgery to have the vaccination today. Your GP will know which one – it is called the Men ACWY.
Five reasons why you need to think about meningitis in students – right now!
- Meningitis is one of the major health risks for young adults in their first year at university. They are the second most ‘at risk’ group for contracting this disease.
- Most first year students opt to live in halls. Here they will be living in very close proximity to hundreds of people who they have never encountered before, and who come from all four corners of the country (and from overseas).
- One in four of these new friends (15 – 19 year olds) WILL be carrying meningococcal bacteria, which can cause meningitis in the back of their throats, compared to one in ten of the UK population.
- The bacteria can be passed to your young adult by coughing, sneezing, and intimate kissing. Absolutely everyone gets a cold in their first year at university, so that’s a lot of coughing and sneezing. You can use your own imagination about the intimate kissing!
- You won't have a diligent parent or guardian watching over you. You may become seriously ill without your friends and flatmates being aware. Meningitis does not hang around – it makes people very ill, very quickly.
There are many signs of meningitis, which can easily be confused with flu, COVID, or other conditions. These include headahces, sore joints, a rash, confusion, vomiting, a dislike of bright lights, and more. Check the full list of symptoms from the NHS here.
Please do share this with anyone you know who is leaving for university next month, so we can raise awareness of meningitis in students.