Public health team urging Lanarkshire students heading to college or university to ensure their vaccinations are up to date

Lanarkshire’s public health team are encouraging students across the area who are heading off to college or university to ensure their vaccinations are up to date.Infectious diseases such as meningitis, septicaemia (blood poisoning) and measles can spread easily in universities and colleges - and being vaccinated offers the best protection.Students are 11 times more likely to develop invasive meningococcal disease, which causes meningitis and septicaemia.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android The meningitis ACWY (MenACWY) vaccine helps to protect against these very serious diseases.This is just one of the infectious diseases students can be susceptible to if they don't vaccinate, and this is why the health board is urging local students to check their vaccines are up to date.Parts of the UK and other countries in Europe have been seeing an increase in the number of people getting measles, and evidence suggests students are at higher risk.That is why it’s important to check you’ve had two doses of the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella and has saved over 4500 lives across the UK.Dr Henry Prempeh, health protection consultant and Immunisation co-ordinator, said: “These diseases can be severe and, in some cases, life threatening and students who have not been vaccinated are at