Student urges others to get vaccinated after 'freshers flu' turned out to be meningitis

Levi Lawrence caught meningitis in his first term at Swansea University last year and was seriously ill as a result. Credit: Public Health Wales

Students heading to university in Wales this month are being urged to make sure their vaccinations are up to date to avoid getting seriously ill.

Public Health Wales (PHW) are warning a lack of childhood jabs could lead to infections like meningitis, measles and septicaemia.

The body says universities can be hot spots for serious infection to spread, with lots of people newly coming together in confined environments and close mixing.

PHW say Routine childhood vaccinations are safe and effective, and protect against the serious consequences of infectious diseases.

Levi Lawrence, a 21 year old psychology student from Wolverhampton, caught meningitis in his first term at Swansea University last year and was seriously ill as a result.

He said: “I’d been feeling under the weather for a couple of weeks, which I put down to ‘fresher’s flu'.

“But one morning I woke up feeling really ill, I was vomiting and confused, and quickly got to the point that I couldn’t really speak and could barely walk. 

"My housemate got me to the hospital quickly, and I believe that her quick actions saved my life.

“I ended up spending ten days in hospital with meningitis and sepsis, and was extremely ill. It was a really scary time, I had problems with my legs which meant that I was on crutches for weeks afterwards and I still get electric shock-type pains in my legs now.”

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PHW also recommend that students register with a GP close to university so they can greatly reduce their chances of becoming seriously ill.

With rising pressures on the NHS this winter, Public Health Wales say it is more important than ever to do everything you can to stay well and look after those around you. 

Dr Chris Johnson from PHW said: “Levi’s experience shows just how important it is for students and young people to ensure that they are up to date with all their routine vaccinations ideally before leaving for university or as soon as possible once there.

  • Hawys Youlden, Lead Nurse for Vaccine Preventable Diseases at Public Health Wales.

“Routine childhood vaccinations are safe and effective, and protect against the serious consequences of infectious diseases that so often circulate among young people starting university. 

“The introduction of the meningitis C vaccines, which includes the MenACWY vaccine given to teenagers, has been really successful, as it has reduced the number of cases caused by Meningitis C by 90 per cent.

Levi thought he'd come down with 'freshers flu' but he'd actually caught meningitis. Credit: PA Images

“It’s really important that young people make sure they get these vaccines, which protect them from serious illnesses and allow them to get on with enjoying this new phase of their life.

“Many young people are unaware of what vaccines they have had as children so it’s important that any missed doses are brought up to date to ensure optimum protection.

“They can check whether they are up to date with their vaccinations, and catch up with any doses that they are missing, by getting in touch with their GP or local health board child services.”

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