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Meningitis Jab before starting uni

Does anyone know how important it is to have the meningitis jab before starting uni?

I heard its best to get it done at least 2 weeks before starting uni and that you just needed to make an appointment at your GP surgery for it, which I did, but when I got there the nurse refused me it. She asked me who had told me I had to have it and that she wouldn't give it to me unless I had a letter from my university saying that I had to have it. All the info I've found online has suggested you just make an appointment and go and get it done, but apparently in my case I need proof? This seems ridiculous and I'm wondering if this is normal or if it's been made to be a bigger deal than it is? The nurse genuinely seemed not at all bothered about me going to uni without being vaccinated against this so is it that huge an issue?

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Reply 1
Original post by Katarvi
Does anyone know how important it is to have the meningitis jab before starting uni?

I heard its best to get it done at least 2 weeks before starting uni and that you just needed to make an appointment at your GP surgery for it, which I did, but when I got there the nurse refused me it. She asked me who had told me I had to have it and that she wouldn't give it to me unless I had a letter from my university saying that I had to have it. All the info I've found online has suggested you just make an appointment and go and get it done, but apparently in my case I need proof? This seems ridiculous and I'm wondering if this is normal or if it's been made to be a bigger deal than it is? The nurse genuinely seemed not at all bothered about me going to uni without being vaccinated against this so is it that huge an issue?


I have never in 3years at uni known anyone to have it.
The most talk there was, was some posters warning of symptoms.
Original post by Katarvi
Does anyone know how important it is to have the meningitis jab before starting uni?

I heard its best to get it done at least 2 weeks before starting uni and that you just needed to make an appointment at your GP surgery for it, which I did, but when I got there the nurse refused me it. She asked me who had told me I had to have it and that she wouldn't give it to me unless I had a letter from my university saying that I had to have it. All the info I've found online has suggested you just make an appointment and go and get it done, but apparently in my case I need proof? This seems ridiculous and I'm wondering if this is normal or if it's been made to be a bigger deal than it is? The nurse genuinely seemed not at all bothered about me going to uni without being vaccinated against this so is it that huge an issue?

I'm hopefully going to uni next year but I'm not having the jab.
Reply 3
my local gp sent me a letter recomending I have it so if i get into uni I will deffo get it done
I had mine during freshers week when signing up to all the stuff and then went to the health service signed up got it there and then big que
It's worth getting done, for sure. I got a letter from my GP about it so I booked in with the nurse and had it done. I managed to be allergic to it, of course, but it seems I'm allergic to everything these days.
Original post by Katarvi
Does anyone know how important it is to have the meningitis jab before starting uni?

I heard its best to get it done at least 2 weeks before starting uni and that you just needed to make an appointment at your GP surgery for it, which I did, but when I got there the nurse refused me it. She asked me who had told me I had to have it and that she wouldn't give it to me unless I had a letter from my university saying that I had to have it. All the info I've found online has suggested you just make an appointment and go and get it done, but apparently in my case I need proof? This seems ridiculous and I'm wondering if this is normal or if it's been made to be a bigger deal than it is? The nurse genuinely seemed not at all bothered about me going to uni without being vaccinated against this so is it that huge an issue?

Possibly phone again and explain on the phone.
My uni had sent me a letter around results saying that I should get one as there had been outbreaks in the area so it is possible you dont need it if your uni hasnt had any outbreaks recently
Original post by Katarvi
Does anyone know how important it is to have the meningitis jab before starting uni?

I heard its best to get it done at least 2 weeks before starting uni and that you just needed to make an appointment at your GP surgery for it, which I did, but when I got there the nurse refused me it. She asked me who had told me I had to have it and that she wouldn't give it to me unless I had a letter from my university saying that I had to have it. All the info I've found online has suggested you just make an appointment and go and get it done, but apparently in my case I need proof? This seems ridiculous and I'm wondering if this is normal or if it's been made to be a bigger deal than it is? The nurse genuinely seemed not at all bothered about me going to uni without being vaccinated against this so is it that huge an issue?


Ironically the nurse rang me to book an appointment, she said it was important. I've recently had it done
You should probably find a different nurse seeing as it's on the NHS vaccine schedule and then again recommended for university students. Might be worth contacting the clinic actually as that's stuff a nurse who routinely vaccinates people should know.
Reply 9
I did try to explain to the nurse about it today but she unfortunately wasn't having any of it. It may be because I'm a mature student? She said "it's for 18 year olds" and kinda ended the conversation there. I may wait til I move to my uni city and get one done with my new GP there unless I get a letter about it through from my uni.

Thanks for all replies!
Original post by Katarvi
I did try to explain to the nurse about it today but she unfortunately wasn't having any of it. It may be because I'm a mature student? She said "it's for 18 year olds" and kinda ended the conversation there. I may wait til I move to my uni city and get one done with my new GP there unless I get a letter about it through from my uni.

Thanks for all replies!


Ah, on my letter it said it was for those born between Sept 1st 1997 and Aug something 1998. It's basically a replacement for the usual one that they give to those heading off to uni. You should still be able to get it, but that's probably why you weren't on the system. If you had the jab when you were 18 then you may be okay, but they may suggest a booster anyway because of the increase in risk when you head off to uni.
Original post by Katarvi
I did try to explain to the nurse about it today but she unfortunately wasn't having any of it. It may be because I'm a mature student? She said "it's for 18 year olds" and kinda ended the conversation there. I may wait til I move to my uni city and get one done with my new GP there unless I get a letter about it through from my uni.

Thanks for all replies!


Ah ok, are you over 25? After that it's not on the recommended list so you'd have to go private and pay ~£25 if you want it.
Original post by Katarvi
Does anyone know how important it is to have the meningitis jab before starting uni?

I heard its best to get it done at least 2 weeks before starting uni and that you just needed to make an appointment at your GP surgery for it, which I did, but when I got there the nurse refused me it. She asked me who had told me I had to have it and that she wouldn't give it to me unless I had a letter from my university saying that I had to have it. All the info I've found online has suggested you just make an appointment and go and get it done, but apparently in my case I need proof? This seems ridiculous and I'm wondering if this is normal or if it's been made to be a bigger deal than it is? The nurse genuinely seemed not at all bothered about me going to uni without being vaccinated against this so is it that huge an issue?


This is VERY important.

Well sometimes signing up to your uni's medical centre on Freshers is a bog-standard thing and they will ask you whether you had a meningitis jab before. You say "no" and usually, they'll offer it to you. Some unis don't, some unis do. Ask your uni personally.

At my first uni, 2 people got it. One died after 2/3 weeks and one fell into a coma and it was announced the family decided to turn his life support off after I think it was 5-6 months after being induced. It was just right before Christmas as well. It was so shocking to hear it cause you'd never would have thought it'd happen. While it's extremely uncommon, it still happens when you're 18. It's because Freshers go haaaard and their immune system just falls apart so you're looking for trouble if you don't take precautions.

So I definitely consider you should get it done cause you never know. You think it's highly unlikely, but it's not impossible sweetheart. Get it done for your own sake.
Original post by The Empire Odyssey
This is VERY important.

Well sometimes signing up to your uni's medical centre on Freshers is a bog-standard thing and they will ask you whether you had a meningitis jab before. You say "no" and usually, they'll offer it to you. Some unis don't, some unis do. Ask your uni personally.

At my first uni, 2 people got it. One died after 2/3 weeks and one fell into a coma and it was announced the family decided to turn his life support off after I think it was 5-6 months after being induced. It was just right before Christmas as well. It was so shocking to hear it cause you'd never would have thought it'd happen. While it's extremely uncommon, it still happens when you're 18. It's because Freshers go haaaard and their immune system just falls apart so you're looking for trouble if you don't take precautions.

So I definitely consider you should get it done cause you never know. You think it's highly unlikely, but it's not impossible sweetheart. Get it done for your own sake.


100% agree. And really, they ask people to have this jab for a reason. Not to mention that by having the jab yourself, you're creating less risk for someone that doesn't have the jab/couldn't have the jab for whatever reason. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't get the jab for a silly reason and ended up infecting someone else with such a thing.
Original post by The Empire Odyssey
This is VERY important.

Well sometimes signing up to your uni's medical centre on Freshers is a bog-standard thing and they will ask you whether you had a meningitis jab before. You say "no" and usually, they'll offer it to you. Some unis don't, some unis do. Ask your uni personally.

At my first uni, 2 people got it. One died after 2/3 weeks and one fell into a coma and it was announced the family decided to turn his life support off after I think it was 5-6 months after being induced. It was just right before Christmas as well. It was so shocking to hear it cause you'd never would have thought it'd happen. While it's extremely uncommon, it still happens when you're 18. It's because Freshers go haaaard and their immune system just falls apart so you're looking for trouble if you don't take precautions.

So I definitely consider you should get it done cause you never know. You think it's highly unlikely, but it's not impossible sweetheart. Get it done for your own sake.


Might want to edit your post for clarity because it currently reads like those things happened because they got the jab rather than because they got meningitis.
Original post by Helloworld_95
Might want to edit your post for clarity because it currently reads like those things happened because they got the jab rather than because they got meningitis.


They didnt get the jab in their lives and they sadly got meningitis and died. I dont know how my post became misleading.

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Original post by chelseadagg3r
100% agree. And really, they ask people to have this jab for a reason. Not to mention that by having the jab yourself, you're creating less risk for someone that doesn't have the jab/couldn't have the jab for whatever reason. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't get the jab for a silly reason and ended up infecting someone else with such a thing.


Excatly hun. And another thing: you may not get meningitis, but someone like a flatmate or something might get it. At Freshers u meet everybody and anybody so it puts you at risk so much cus u just dont know!

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Original post by The Empire Odyssey
They didnt get the jab in their lives and they sadly got meningitis and died. I dont know how my post became misleading.

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You open your post talking about the jab and then go on to say 2 people got it, 'it' still being the jab as you have not yet stated a new definition that 'it' could be. You'd need to say 2 people got meningitis.
Original post by Helloworld_95
You open your post talking about the jab and then go on to say 2 people got it, 'it' still being the jab as you have not yet stated a new definition that 'it' could be. You'd need to say 2 people got meningitis.


Anyone with half a brain cell knows that the "it" I'm (unambiguously) referring to is meningitis sugar.
Reply 19
Original post by Helloworld_95
Ah ok, are you over 25? After that it's not on the recommended list so you'd have to go private and pay ~£25 if you want it.

Well this was what I thought but I made the appointment when I was 25 but they didn't have a slot open to see the nurse for a few weeks and I turned 26 in that time. The last one I had was when I was a baby so figured I'd still need one.

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