- Less than a fifth of students have received their meningitis jab this year
- Officials are now urging all 17 and 18-year-olds to get the free vaccine
- Anyone up to the age of 25 can get the jab from their local surgery
Daily Mail Reporter
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Doctors are urging students to get vaccinated against meningitis as figures show less than a fifth have received their jab this year.
Following a rapid increase in cases, officials are calling all 17 and 18-year-olds to get the free vaccine for the highly aggressive strain of the disease known as group W meningococcal (Men W).
Public Health England said mixing with large groups of new people means students heading to university have a ‘dramatically increased’ risk of catching the bug.
It comes after figures showed that by the end of August, just 17 per cent of all 18-year-olds leaving school had been vaccinated – despite GPs writing to all eligible 17 and 18-year-olds at the start of the month.
New figures show that just one in five students has received their meningitis jab this year
In 2009/10, there were 22 cases of Men W among all children and adults, but this jumped to 209 in 2015/16.
Anyone up to the age of 25 can get the jab – which also protects against other meningitis strains – from their local surgery, with children aged 14 now being vaccinated in schools. Other vaccines for meningitis are included in the NHS vaccination programme for young children.
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Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at PHE, said: ‘We’ve introduced this vaccine because of a rapid increase in cases of Men W across England, with new students particularly at risk.
‘This vaccination is highly effective and can save lives and prevent devastating, lifelong disability.
This graphic shows the warning signs and the early symptoms linked to the disease meningitis
‘I strongly urge those who haven’t done so to get their injection now.’
Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. It can strike anyone, but is most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults.
Symptoms develop suddenly and can include a high temperature, being sick, a headache, stiff neck and a dislike of bright lights. Some people also develop a rash which does not fade when a glass is rolled over it.
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