College students slow to take meningitis vaccine

COLLEGE students are at high risk of contracting meningitis but are often unwilling to avail of free vaccines, according to experts.

The immunisation scheme launched in October 2000 targeted young children and people aged 16-22.

It has resulted in a 90% overall decrease in Meningitis C. While the programme was successful in secondary schools, take-up of the free Meningitis C vaccine among older students is as low as 10% in some regions.

Carole Nealon, Irish co-ordinator of the Meningitis Trust, said it is very often down to apathy among students. However, the lifestyle of college students makes them one of the categories in most danger.

“As many as one-in-four students carry the meningococcal bacteria at the back of their throats, compared to one in 10 in the rest of the population ,” Ms Nealon said. An awareness campaign is being run by the Meningitis Trust and the Union of Students in Ireland over the next week.

They are sending 15,000 beer mats to 50 colleges and universities to highlight the symptoms of the deadly disease and the free Meningitis C vaccination programme. It also reminds them that being vaccinated does not make them immune from the B strain.

Richard Cuthbert, who contracted meningitis when he was at university, said he didn’t know the symptoms. “I was lucky to fully recover he said.

The symptoms of meningitis in adults include high temperature, vomiting, severe headache, muscle pains, stiff neck, drowsiness and rash.

More information is available from the Meningitis Trusts’s 24-hour free helpline on 1800 523 196.