Freshers’ Week is a fantastic opportunity to mingle with peers from all walks of life. Getting to know people in close proximity at parties and clubs is a fun way to break the ice and relieve tension but this comes with its own dangers. When our immune systems are lowered after periods of little interaction (such as the summer), it makes the chance of illness at University astronomically higher. The famously named “Freshers’ Flu” can be genuinely debilitating with its cold-like symptoms and it can have students wiped off their feet in bed for days. For this reason, it is easy to mix the symptoms up with the dangerously similar, and often lethal, bacterial meningitis.
When our immune systems are lowered after periods of little interaction (such as the summer), it makes the chance of illness at University astronomically higher.
Bacterial meningitis kills around 25% of affected adults within 24-48 hours of the symptoms first showing. For this reason, it is imperative to be aware of the warning signs to seek help as soon as possible.
Much like Freshers’ Flu, you may experience a high temperature (above 37.5 degrees celsius) as well as a severe headache, vomiting, and joint pain. Most of these symptoms could be mistaken for the flu and during Freshers’ Week when everyone around you seems to be feeling ill, you might not think that it is anything serious.
The tell-tale sign is a rash developing on your body.
Above all, with meningitis, the tell-tale sign is a rash developing on your body. It could be your arms, stomach, face or any other part of your body but if the rash is accompanied by the cold symptoms, it’s time to rush to the hospital. A meningitis rash is specific in that it’s much more difficult to see on dark skin so checking paler areas like the palms of your hands, your stomach, and the roof of your mouth will give the best indication. Also, if the rash disappears when you roll a glass over it, it is called a “blanching rash” which can almost always progress to a “non-blanching rash” and this is when medical attention is urgently needed.
Bacterial meningitis can be spread from person to person during prolonged contact with someone who is carrying the infection at the back of their throat. It’s also a disease that can be easily prevented with vaccinations. The MenACWY vaccine is available for free on the NHS up to the age of 25 if you didn’t receive it while at school. This vaccine protects against the four types of bacteria that cause meningitis and ensures your safety along with others around you.
The MenACWY vaccine is available for free on the NHS up to the age of 25 if you didn’t receive it while at school.
If you or someone you know is experiencing signs of meningitis, call 999 immediately.
