Students, pregnant women and older people urged to take vaccines against serious diseases

Students, over-75s and pregnant women are being urged to get vaccinated against serious diseases – some of which are on the rise.

NHS Shetland issued the advice yesterday (Friday), saying vaccination offered the best protection from illness.

The health board said students headed for college or university should ensure their vaccines are up-to-date before the new term begins.

It warned that infectious diseases such as meningitis, blood poisoning and measles can spread easily in universities and colleges.

Students are 11 times more likely to develop invasive meningococcal disease, which causes meningitis and septicaemia.

Parts of the UK have also been seeing an increase in the number of people getting measles, and evidence suggests students are at higher risk.

Public health director Susan Laidlaw said infectious diseases, such as measles and meningitis could be life-threatening and cases were increasing earlier this year.

“Students, in particular, are at increased risk due to the large amounts of mixing with new people,” she added.

“But we have very effective vaccines that can reduce this risk: vaccination is the best way to ensure you’re protected against these diseases.

“Vaccines against measles and meningococcal disease are offered as part of the routine childhood and school immunisation programmes, but if they’ve been missed, it’s not too late to catch up.

“Ideally, they should be given at least two weeks before the new semester starts.”

Students should ensure they have taken the meningitis vaccine and two doses of MMR vaccine.

Anyone unsure as to whether they have had these vaccines can contact their GP practice or the vaccination team.

There is also time to get the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, although most students will have received this at school.

It helps protect against HPV-related cancers including head, neck and cervical cancer and also protects against over 90 per cent of genital wart infections.

Meanwhile, Scotland’s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programme is set to begin next week.

Eligible adults in Shetland will receive a letter or phone call about their appointment.

There were over 1,000 cases of RSV recorded in adults aged 75 and over in Scotland last year, with more than half having to spend time in hospital as a result.

RSV is also the leading cause of emergency respiratory admissions to hospital in Scotland in infants, with 1,516 children aged under one hospitalised with the virus last year.

It generally causes mild illness with cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, cough, fever, or decrease in appetite.

Most people recover after two to three weeks, but RSV can affect the lower airways in some people and cause severe illnesses such as pneumonia and bronchiolitis, which can result in admission to hospital.

The people who are most at risk from serious illness due to RSV are older people and newborn babies and infants.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised that these groups are therefore offered vaccination against RSV.

This new programme is for people when they reach the age of 75 and for all pregnant women, during each pregnancy, to protect the baby.

Appointments will start from Monday.

Those turning 75 years old on and between 1st August 2024 and 31st July 2025 will receive invitations.

The vaccine will also be offered to anyone who is aged 75 to 79 years old on 1st August 2024 as part of a “catch up” programme.

Also starting from mid-August, pregnant women will be offered the vaccine during discussions with their midwife from 28 weeks into their pregnancy.

NHS Shetland chief midwife Jacqueline Whitaker said the timing of the vaccination is important as it will offer protection and protect the newborn baby from serious illness caused by RSV.

Dr Laidlaw said  that while most people with RSV had short lived cold and flu like symptoms, babies, infants and older people could be at risk of very serious life-threatening illness.

“We can now prevent a lot of that serious illness through vaccination,” she added.

Visit www.nhsinform.scot to find our more about RSV.

For more information, contact the vaccination team on shet.vaccination-team@nhs.scot or phone 01595 743319.