CHARITY Meningitis Research Foundation is warning students across Swindon to make sure they get vaccinated before they head off to university.

Meningitis and septicaemia can kill in hours and leave many survivors with serious disability.

Currently all children in the UK are vaccinated against Meningococcal C (MenC) infection.

Since the MenC vaccine was introduced in the UK in 1999, an estimated 150 lives have been saved each year and cases are now very rare.

But the protection offered by the vaccine does not last as long as was initially expected and the UK Government has launched a booster campaign for students starting university.

Christopher Head, chief executive of Meningitis Research Foundation, said: “New students are at increased risk of encountering the bacteria that cause meningococcal disease because they are often living in busy halls of residence and in close contact with other new students during freshers’ week.

“The MenC booster is available to any student entering university who was born after September 1995 and has only received Men C vaccine under the age of 10 years or any student of any age entering or being at university who is unvaccinated against MenC disease. Students should get immunised at least two weeks before they go away to study.”

For more information about MenC vaccinations visit meningitis.org/news-media/starting-uni-in-the-uk-this-83321