Paul Howell MP supports calls by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) encouraging all students heading to university this autumn to make sure they are up to date with all free routine NHS vaccinations via the NHS app and catch up with any they have missed, like the meningitis vaccine.
The three vaccines students should be up to date with before starting university or college include: · MenACWY – protecting against 4 common strains causing meningitis and septicaemia · MMR – protecting against measles, mumps, and rubella · HPV – protecting against human papilloma virus (HPV) related cancers such as cervical cancer and other cancers of the head, neck and genital areas, and genital warts.
If any students missed these vaccines at school, they should contact their GP surgery to arrange a catch up.
The advice comes as data shows that around 1 in 8 new students heading to university this autumn are unprotected against 4 deadly types of meningitis - A, C, W and Y – which can cause long term disability, serious health complications and can even be life threatening.
The NHS MenACWY immunisation programme for schools is offered to all pupils in years 9 and 10. However, the latest 2021 to 2022 MenACWY vaccine coverage data shows the vaccination rate has fallen to 79.6%, which means that the figure will rise to around 1 in 5 pupils being unprotected when they start college or university in a few years’ time if they don’t catch up with their vaccinations.
Commenting, Paul Howell MP, said:
Meningitis can become very serious very quickly, if you or someone you know has the symptoms listed below, seek medical advice or treatment urgently and do talk to a health care professional about having the MenACWY vaccine. Many of us know families who have been able to act quickly on concerns and know that by acting swiftly they have made the difference. Take note of the symptoms, so you too can act quickly if you, a loved one, or a family friend or colleague need urgent medical support.
