Health protection

Here at NTU we encourage our students to be fully vaccinated before they arrive at university, to keep you and others safe. If you haven’t had a chance to do this, have a look at what vaccinations we advise you to have and where to have them.

Vaccinations

The Department of Health recommends all students be fully immunised before arrival at University. Arrange to see your doctor and make sure you’re up to date with vaccinations against:

• tetanus
• polio
• diphtheria
• meningitis C
• measles
• mumps
• rubella.

If you’ve only had one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, you need to get the second dose too. You can find out from your current surgery if your vaccines are up to date, and ask the doctor for their advice. Check whether you’ve been vaccinated for:

• meningitis C
• first mumps (MMR)
• second mumps (MMR).

If you have, you also need to find you the dates when you were vaccinated. Please give this information to your new doctor when you register at surgery here at NTU.

Meningitis and the ACWY vaccine

Meningitis is a life-threatening infectious disease. It can leave devastation in its wake. It often occurs hand-in-hand with septicaemia. When it strikes, it can be fatal. It can take a strong, healthy and independent individual and change them forever. This can all happen in mere hours, so you need to know the signs.

Why are first year university students at risk?

Students can be vulnerable to meningitis due to close living arrangements. Young people come together from all over the world to live in one place. You can sometimes be exposed to bacteria and viruses your body hasn't met before. This is why so many new students get 'freshers' flu'.

The early symptoms of meningitis can disguise themselves as other things. It can look like common flu, or even a hangover. It’s easy to mistake meningitis for something else.

Know the signs and symptoms – it could make all the difference.

• Watch the Meningitis Now Fastest Hour video
• Meningitis Now – signs and symptoms
• Read Charlotte H's meningitis experience

The ACWY vaccine

NHS information about the ACWY vaccine

The vaccine helps to protect against the ACWY meningitis strains. It's administered by a simple injection. It's free to all first-year students who are under 25. It’s very important to get the vaccine to protect you from meningitis.

The vaccine is available at all NTU Health Centres. If you haven't had the ACWY vaccine, call today to book for free. It could save lives.

You need to register with the practice to receive the free vaccine.