Vaccine plea to students before returning to college or university in Fife

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Students in Fife are being encouraged to ensure their vaccinations are up to date before heading off to college or university this year.

Infectious diseases such as meningitis, septicaemia (blood poisoning) and measles can spread easily, and vaccination offers the best protection - students are 11 times more likely to develop invasive meningococcal disease, which causes meningitis and septicaemia. For more information, please visit: nhsinform.scot/vaccinesforstudents

The meningitis ACWY (MenACWY) vaccine helps to protect against these very serious diseases. Parts of the UK and other countries in Europe have also been seeing an increase in the number of people getting measles, and evidence suggests students are at higher risk.

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Dr Esther Curnock, consultant in public health nedicine, and immunisation co-ordinator for Fife, said: “These diseases can be severe and, in some cases, life threatening. Students are at increased risk due to the large amounts of mixing with new people in enclosed spaces. Increasing cases of measles and meningococcal disease in particular were observed earlier this year.

Students have been urged to get vaccinated (Pic:  whitesession/Pixabay)Students have been urged to get vaccinated (Pic:  whitesession/Pixabay)
Students have been urged to get vaccinated (Pic: whitesession/Pixabay)

Vaccines are the best way to ensure you’re protected and these are offered for free on the NHS in Scotland. These vaccines are offered as part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule however if they’ve been missed, it’s not too late to catch up.”

“Ideally, they should be given at least two weeks before the new semester starts.”

There is also still time to get the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, although most students will have received this at school. It helps protect against HPV-related cancers including head, neck and cervical cancer and also protects against over 90% of genital wart infections.

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