Students urged to get meningitis vaccine

Students who haven't got their Meningitis vaccine yet are being encouraged to do so as soon as possible.

The vaccine protects young people from four different causes of meningitis and septicaemia - meningococcal A, C, W and Y diseases.  

Due to a particularly strong strain of Men W there are more and more cases of the disease presenting - especially in student accommodation in close living quarters. 

The vaccine is free but as of August UK statistics suggest only 17 per cent of students had received it - cases of the deadly disease are increasing from 22 in 2009 to nearly 200 in the past 12 months. 

Jacqui Dunn is a health protection nurse - she says students should consider double checking they're up to date with vaccines:

Symptoms include headache, vomiting, muscle pain, fever, cold hands and feet - if you're concerned about yourself or another student you should contact a local GP.