Public Health England says first years should check they are up to date with MMR jabs

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

New university students are being urged to ensure they have been vaccinated against measles following outbreaks of the highly infectious illness.



Public Health England said students should check they are up to date with the MenACWY vaccine – which protects against meningitis – and the measles, mumps and rubella jab before the start of term. The number of European cases of measles has reached an eight-year high.

Some students starting university this year may have missed out on the MMR vaccine as children, with uptake as low as 80% in 2003, PHE said.

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Dr Mary Ramsay, the head of immunisation at PHE, said colleges and universities can be “hotspots” for the spread of measles and meningococcal disease.

“First-year students especially are at increased risk of meningococcal infection if they are unvaccinated, which makes sense when they spend large amounts of time with new people in confined environments such as university halls,” she said.

“We therefore encourage students to check with their GP that they are up to date with their MMR and MenACWY vaccinations before term starts – it’s never too late to protect themselves and their friends from these highly infectious and serious diseases.”

More than 41,000 measles cases and 37 deaths were recorded across Europe during the first half of this year, according to the World Health Organization.

England has also experienced an outbreak of measles, with 828 laboratory-confirmed cases between 1 January and 13 August, according to PHE.

The MMR vaccine is available to anyone who did not receive two doses as a child.

The MenACWY jab, introduced in 2015, protects against four meningococcal strains that cause meningitis and septicaemia.

It is routinely offered to people in years nine and 10 at school, but anyone who has missed out can be vaccinated free of charge until their 25th birthday.