Students in Guernsey urged to get vaccinated against 'serious diseases' before heading to university

Student collecting results on results day.
Both new and returning students are being encouraged to check their vaccination records. Credit: ITV Channel

Students heading to university from Guernsey are being urged to check their vaccination records before they leave.

Public Health Guernsey want students to understand the importance of knowing which vaccines they have already had, and which they might have missed.

Both new and returning students who are mixing with others from across the world are at an increased risk of contracting "serious diseases such as meningitis, septicemia and measles", according to the Associate Director of Public Health, Alex Hawkins-Drew.

The three vaccines students should be up to date with include:

  • MenACWY – protecting against 4 common strains causing meningitis and septicaemia.

  • MMR – protecting against measles, mumps and rubella.

  • HPV – protecting against HPV related cancers such as cervical cancer and other cancers of the head, neck and genital areas and genital warts.

Anyone that wants to check their vaccination records can contact their GP, or the School Nursing team by emailing childvaccine@gov.gg.

Students looking to receive a vaccine they have missed should contact the immunisation team by emailing childvaccine.gov.gg.

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