Vaccination advice for students

Protect yourself against:

DIPHTHERIA / TETANUS / POLIO / MEASLES / MUMPS / RUBELLA / MENINGITIS C

Students who study at UK universities are strongly advised to have had a number of different vaccinations before ( or as soon as possible after ) arriving at university.

The vaccinations that you are advised to have are :

Diphtheria / Tetanus / Polio

In the UK (and the majority of countries in the world) these are routinely offered to all people when they are children. Please check that you have received these vaccines when you were small.

Measles, Mumps and Rubella

Again in the UK, this vaccine is given to small children and also at school. Please check that you have received this vaccine at least once in your life before coming to university. Last year an outbreak of mumps occurred at Sheffield university in the UK. The medical authorities have therefore reiterated the importance of having this vaccine.

Meningitis C

This vaccine has been recently introduced in the UK and all UK-based school children should have received it. Many countries in the world do not offer this vaccine. The vaccine is safe and will, effectively, protect an individual against the C-type meningitis bacteria (although other strains of meningitis may also cause infections). See the information about the Meningitis C vaccine on the SPMC website.

REMEMBER THAT ALL THESE VACCINES WILL REDUCE THE CHANCES OF CONTRACTING AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE IN THE UK ( AND ELSEWHERE ). THEY ARE AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE FROM THE MEDICAL CENTRE. WE WOULD STRONGLY ADVISE ALL STUDENTS TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ADEQUATELY VACCINATED BEFORE THEY ARRIVE AT THE LSE. PLEASE CONTACT THE MEDICAL CENTRE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER ARRIVAL IN THE UK IF YOU REQUIRE ANY FURTHER ADVICE OR HELP WITH VACCINATIONS.

For further advice please see www.immunisation.org.uk or contact the medical centre on spmc@lse.ac.uk

Last updated: September 2003

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