The UK Health Security Agency is raising awareness of increasing measles cases. Measles is a viral infection that spreads very easily by coughs and sneezes. It can cause serious problems in some people. Anyone with symptoms of measles is being advised to stay at home and contact your GP by phone – please do not go to your GP, walk-in centre, or any other healthcare setting without calling ahead, as measles is very infectious.
Speak to your usual doctor (through the on-campus NHS health centre if you are registered there) to make sure your vaccinations are up to date. The main vaccinations you should consider cover:
- measles, mumps and rubella (the MMR vaccine)
- meningitis
- HPV (human papillomavirus).
The health centre on campus has stocks of the MMR vaccine for students and staff who are registered with the practice. If you are not yet registered with a local practice, you can register through the health centre website.
You might also consider a vaccination for meningococcal group B (MenB). You can only get this vaccination privately at certain pharmacies or travel clinics, unless you have certain chronic conditions.
You can see more information about vaccinations on the NHS website and in this MMR leaflet from the UK Health Security agency (translated into several languages). Students can also find more about vaccinations and medication on the Student Hub.