Kate Speirs
New member
For those with young people starting university or college in the Autumn or for those with students already there, please share with them this "signs and symptoms of meningitis" e-leaflet. The symptoms can be very similar to a hangover or a sick bug but it can be fatal to let the student sleep it off so please encourage them to check in on their friends and make sure you regularly check in on them if they are unwell. The disease acts quickly - so prompt action can save lives. There is not always a rash and if you wait for a rash, it may be too late. I am also attaching a link to a video of a student case study (only 7 minutes long). I don't want to scare people - this only happens to the unlucky minority but it did happen to our daughter last year. And, the meningitis B bacteria is rife in the student communities (1 in 4 students carry it in the back of their throats) and can hit those who are run down due to other viruses or lots of partying. If your young person has not had the vaccine for meningitis B, please do consider it. My daughter had received meningitis ACWY but not B. It is not provided on the NHS to teenagers for budget reasons but since 2015 babies have been offered it - so those going this year will have missed this. It is expensive but I will always regret not knowing about it. Our daughter was one of the lucky ones - she nearly died from men b and sepsis and will live with the after effects for the rest of her life but she survived. Others are not so lucky.
Here is the latest update:
Meningitis at University
Students, please be fully informed about the MenB (meningococcal group B)
vaccine! Don’t assume you are covered, this is not given by school or your GP.
Meningococcal bacteria are more common in student communities (up to 1 in 4
students may be carrying this in the back of their throats). The bacteria can be
spread through coughing, sneezing and intimate kissing. Students at university or
living in student accommodation have a higher risk, as they are mixing with lots of
new people from all over the UK and overseas for the first time. There are different
groups of meningitis causing bacteria, the vaccine offered in year 9 at school covers
meningitis ACWY. It does not include MenB and 9 out of 10 cases of meningococcal
meningitis in the UK are now caused by MenB. If your young person has not had the
vaccine for MenB, please do consider it. Most, like my daughter, will have had the
meningitis ACWY vaccines at school but not MenB. It is NOT currently provided on the
NHS to teenagers. You must pay for it, but please do consider it. I will always regret not
knowing about it. Our daughter was one of the lucky ones - she nearly died from MenB
and sepsis and will live with the after-effects for the rest of her life but she survived.
Others, like Megan in the attached recent BBC article, are devastatingly not so lucky.
www.bbc.co.uk
Know the signs and symptoms of meningitis
No vaccine can offer 100% protection, so for those with young people starting university
or college in the Autumn or for those with students already there, please share with them
the "signs and symptoms of meningitis" at the link below. The symptoms can be very
similar to a hangover or a gastro bug but it can be fatal to let the student sleep it off so
please encourage them to check in on their friends and make sure you regularly check
in on them if they are unwell. The disease acts quickly and deterioration is rapid - so
prompt action can save lives. There is not always a rash and if you wait for a rash, it may
be too late. Below is the link to a video of a student who had meningitis at university
recently. It’s a short but very informative video about what to look out for.
For more information: https://www.meningitisnow.org/meningitis-explained/signs-
and-symptoms/
Here is the latest update:
Meningitis at University
Students, please be fully informed about the MenB (meningococcal group B)
vaccine! Don’t assume you are covered, this is not given by school or your GP.
Meningococcal bacteria are more common in student communities (up to 1 in 4
students may be carrying this in the back of their throats). The bacteria can be
spread through coughing, sneezing and intimate kissing. Students at university or
living in student accommodation have a higher risk, as they are mixing with lots of
new people from all over the UK and overseas for the first time. There are different
groups of meningitis causing bacteria, the vaccine offered in year 9 at school covers
meningitis ACWY. It does not include MenB and 9 out of 10 cases of meningococcal
meningitis in the UK are now caused by MenB. If your young person has not had the
vaccine for MenB, please do consider it. Most, like my daughter, will have had the
meningitis ACWY vaccines at school but not MenB. It is NOT currently provided on the
NHS to teenagers. You must pay for it, but please do consider it. I will always regret not
knowing about it. Our daughter was one of the lucky ones - she nearly died from MenB
and sepsis and will live with the after-effects for the rest of her life but she survived.
Others, like Megan in the attached recent BBC article, are devastatingly not so lucky.
Meningitis B vaccinations calls after Pontypool student, 18, dies
Meg Draper was enjoying the social side of student life - within weeks she had died from meningitis.
www.bbc.co.uk
Know the signs and symptoms of meningitis
No vaccine can offer 100% protection, so for those with young people starting university
or college in the Autumn or for those with students already there, please share with them
the "signs and symptoms of meningitis" at the link below. The symptoms can be very
similar to a hangover or a gastro bug but it can be fatal to let the student sleep it off so
please encourage them to check in on their friends and make sure you regularly check
in on them if they are unwell. The disease acts quickly and deterioration is rapid - so
prompt action can save lives. There is not always a rash and if you wait for a rash, it may
be too late. Below is the link to a video of a student who had meningitis at university
recently. It’s a short but very informative video about what to look out for.
For more information: https://www.meningitisnow.org/meningitis-explained/signs-
and-symptoms/
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I have found a Superdrug in Guildford which we are visiting tomorrow 
