A harrowing experience is driving a young student's impassioned plea for his peers to take up the free MenB vaccine ahead of heading off to university. Leo Strider, 24, from York, spent five days in an induced coma after contracting meningitis B while studying at the University of Nottingham, and his severe symptoms initially dismissed as 'freshers' flu' or a hangover.
The outbreak of meningitis B among students in Kent serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for increased protection against this life-threatening infection. The MenB vaccine is now available free to sixth formers at high street pharmacies across England, following this recent fatal outbreak and with autumn being a peak time for meningitis cases.
Meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, demands immediate medical attention and can be fatal if left untreated. The severity of Leo's symptoms, which included severe headaches, difficulty communicating, and numbness down one side of his body, were a wake-up call for him and his family.
Though largely recovered, Mr Strider still experiences weakness on his right side and memory loss as ongoing complications, underscoring the importance of taking preventative measures against meningitis. He urges young people to get vaccinated, stating 'If I could have been vaccinated then I wouldn't have had to go through that, and neither would my family.'
NHS experts highlight that babies, children, teenagers, and young adults are most at risk from meningitis, with the MenB strain particularly prone to spreading in communal living environments. Dr Tom Nutt, chief executive of Meningitis Now, describes meningitis as a 'truly awful disease' that can kill within 24 hours. Approximately one in ten people who develop meningitis do not survive.
Pharmacists are also sounding the alarm about the increased prevalence of a new strain of meningitis B this year and the potential for outbreaks among students moving into university accommodation. They stress the importance of booking vaccination appointments to prevent such incidents, urging all eligible young people to take up the free jab offered by the NHS.