A CHARITY is warning students they must get a vital meningitis vaccine before they head off to university and ensure they know the signs and symptoms, as some kinds of meningitis can’t be prevented.

Meningitis and septicaemia can kill in hours and leave many survivors with serious disability.

The charity Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF) is sending thousands of new posters entitled ‘Protect Yourself Against Meningitis’ to universities and colleges throughout the UK.

Currently all children in the UK are vaccinated against Meningococcal C (MenC) infection. Since the MenC vaccine was introduced in the UK in 1999, an estimated 150 lives have been saved each year and cases are now very rare.

Protection offered by the vaccine does not last as long as expected, so the UK Government has launched a booster campaign for students entering university for the first time.

Christopher Head, chief executive of MRF said: “New students are at increased risk of encountering the bacteria that cause meningococcal disease because they are often living in busy halls of residence and in close contact with other new students during fresher’s week.”

The MenC booster is available to all students born after September 1995 entering university for the first time, and anyone under age 25 who has never had a MenC vaccination.

Students should get immunised at least two weeks before they go away to study.

Those who start the term without the booster should arrange to get it as soon as possible either through their university or college health centre or with their new GP. The vaccine is also important for students coming to study from abroad.

Symptoms include fever, vomiting, severe headache, a skin rash, muscle pain, dislike of bright lights and a stiff neck.