MenACWY vaccination
Students are now routinely offered a vaccination to prevent meningitis W disease.
The MenACWY vaccine
protects against 4 different causes of meningitis and septicaemia: meningococcal (Men) A, C, W and Y diseases. It replaces the separate Hib/MenC vaccine.
All 17 and 18 year olds in school year 13 and first-time university students up to the age of 25 are eligible as part of the NHS vaccination
programme.
GP practices will automatically send letters inviting 17 and 18 year olds in school year 13 to have the MenACWY vaccine.
But if you're a student going away to university or college for the first time, contact the GP you're registered with to ask for the MenACWY vaccine, ideally before the start of the academic year.
This is because you'll be at particularly high risk in the first weeks of term, when you're likely to come into contact with many new people.
Mumps vaccination
Universities and colleges also advise students to be immunised against mumps
before starting their studies.
The MMR vaccine
(for mumps, measles and rubella) is part of the routine NHS childhood immunisation schedule. This means most young people who've grown up in England will have had 2 doses of it in childhood.
If you're not sure you've had 2 doses of the MMR vaccination, ask a GP for a catch-up vaccination.
Flu jab
Get an annual flu vaccination
if you have asthma and take inhaled steroids. You should also get a flu vaccination if you have a serious long-term condition such as kidney disease.