Public Health England is urging freshers students to get their Men C booster jab from their GP at least two weeks before starting university.
The new Men C booster was introduced into the GP contract this year after the Joint Committee on Vaccination recommended GPs lead a catch-up campaign in older adolescents who will have missed out on the teenage booster now being given to children aged 14 in schools .
Dr Shamez Ladhani, an expert on meningococcal disease at Public Health England said: ‘Meningococcal C disease is a rare but life-threatening infection that occurs mainly in children and young adults. Students starting university and mixing with lots of new people, some of whom may unknowingly carry the meningococcal bacteria, are at risk of infection.
‘As the protection offered by the infant MenC vaccine wanes over time we are recommending university ‘freshers’ get a booster before they begin university, even if they received it as a young child.’
