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Meningitis advice and information

Meningitis can kill within hours. Make sure you know the symptoms, get vaccinated and know what to do in an emergency.

Get vaccinated

NHS England strongly encourages new students to be vaccinated with Meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY) vaccine


Meningitis symptoms

This vaccine protects against meningococcal disease, which can cause meningitis, septicaemia and death. Make sure you get the vaccination from your GP at least two weeks before you start University, or from the Medical Centre as soon as you arrive. The vaccination is free to home and international students under 25 years of age.

Recognise the symptoms

It's easy to confuse the symptoms of meningitis with a hangover or flu, but meningitis can kill in hours if it isn't treated. Make sure you know the signs so you can get urgent help.


Get emergency help

If you think you or someone else may have meningitis, don't hesitate to get help.


Call 999 for an ambulance. Describe the symptoms carefully and say you think it could be meningitis.

How staff should deal with meningitis

If you are a member of staff, you have responsibilities for making sure students are aware of meningitis and meningococcal disease.


You may also have responsibilities for dealing with cases of the disease. These will depend on your role, so read the guidelines to find out what they are.

To find out more about meningitis, visit Meningitis Now and the Meningitis Research Foundation.