Immunisations

Dave Larkin

I have a question which isn't covered here. It relates to immunisations. In the orientation pack all the incoming students received this week, a small section was included on being immunised against MMR and Meningitis C. In your opinion, is this really important to get?

The pack emphasises the low probability of contracting such diseases, of course. It mentions that they are transmitted usually when young people congregate in large groups.

My question is: How many of you plan to or have gotten these immunisations and how important do you believe they are?

(I was a little surprised to see this kind of thing in the pack, being slightly afraid of needles , so I'd appreciate any help.)

See here and here. I'd be of the opinion that immunisation is a good thing, personally.

ApeXaviour

Dave Larkin wrote:

My question is: How many of you plan to or have gotten these immunisations and how important do you believe they are?

Well I got them in school, as did everybody else I know. I know of a girl who contracted Meningitis C before it got round to her (she was a big concert goer) and apart from nearly dying she was left deaf and partially blind. It's a contagious disease that tends to affect people our age bracket and you're coming to a university with at least 10,000 other people in that age bracket...

With regards to the needles I'm in a similar boat. However they're shoulder injections. So ya hook up your sleeve and turn away, once ya don't see the needle its fine and you don't even feel it. They're also clever in that they'll tend to do it in the middle of conversation so you're really distracted.

Definitely worth it IMO.

Andrew 83

They did them when I was in 6th year in school. I'd say you should get it if you don't have it.

Crash

Actually that reminds me I really need to talk to my parents about my immunisation record and find out what I need to catch up on - living in a different country for the period where we do most of our immunisations means that while I *think* i'm caught up on most of em (but not men C yet as far as I know) i'm still not 100% sure...

Andrew 83

You should probably get Tetanus sometime soon if you haven't had it lately. That runs out after a certain period of time. When I had a head injury last year I had to get it as I hadn't had it since I was little.

Papillon87

I know I had a meningitis injection in first year. Do they need to be topped up?

John

I don't think meningitis needs to be topped up. Tetanus lasts ~10 years IIRC. I'm pro-immunisation, the chances of contracting the disease without being immunised are far higher than suffering a side effect of the vaccination. Plus the more people that don't get immunised means the more likely that the disease in question can spread.

Dave Larkin

Thanks for all your help on this issue. I may just go and go them done with my GP sometime soon. Would I be advised to stay away from people for the day I receive the immunisations, though?

Myth posted a couple of articles above that outlined the effects of getting the vaccinations. Some of the side effects look quite uncomfortable... Well, I suppose getting them will do more good than harm.

Papillon87

John wrote:

I don't think meningitis needs to be topped up. Tetanus lasts ~10 years IIRC. I'm pro-immunisation, the chances of contracting the disease without being immunised are far higher than suffering a side effect of the vaccination. Plus the more people that don't get immunised means the more likely that the disease in question can spread.

Oh I'm definitely pro-immunisation! I'm just going to have to check out if there is anything I need to get done. I hope not, as I'm unbelievably scared of sharp objects piercing any part of my body:(

John

Dave Larkin wrote:

Would I be advised to stay away from people for the day I receive the immunisations, though?

No, once you don't rub your blood in any open wounds I think you'll be fine. Although some of the vaccines may make you feel knackered afterwards.

We need Indy here, he's a doctor.

Dave Larkin

John wrote:

No, once you don't rub your blood in any open wounds I think you'll be fine. Although some of the vaccines may make you feel knackered afterwards.

We need Indy here, he's a doctor.

Yeah, I'd expect to be tired after getting a vaccination. One other thing I'm wondering is if you could get both Men C and MMR at the same time, or would that have some negative effects?

John

I don't know about getting both at the same time, you'd be better to ask a doctor (this is really medical advice which isn't allowed on boards). Ring up TCD and ask to be put through to the health centre. They'll give you all the information you need.

DrIndy

We need Indy here, he's a doctor

Indy here!

You need the meningitis C if you haven't had it before and the MMR only if you have never had it as a baby (due to concerns which were completely unfounded and the evidence faked on safety).

There has been outbreaks every few years of measles in dublin, particularily the northside and there have been outbreaks of mumps amongst students. Mumps causes glands to swell when you are a baby, but also causes sterility in men if you are older.

Vaccines are safe (or they would not be given to every single young person) and the risk of a bad reaction are in the order of millions to one.

Get vaccinated, its sensible.

Of note you do not need to be reimmunised for the vaccines you received as a child unless the situation warrants it (such as a tetanus injection for a skin break).

There are some mild reactions associated particularily with the MMR but not with Meningitis C such as reddening and mild swelling around the injection site and some pain there which settles.

14 days or so after the immunisation or before, you might get flu-like symptoms caused by the immune system activating itself to produce antibodies to the vaccine which is normal - take paracetamol.

Rarer again, people might get a mini-measles where they get a mild red skin rash after the MMR

There is no reason to avoid contact with people after a vaccine as you are not infected (apart from certain polio vaccines as a baby) and cannot spread any disease

Time Magazine

I'd also like to add that they may provide you with a big lollypop if you get immunised.

Nietzschean

Ibid wrote:

I'd also like to add that they may provide you with a big lollypop if you get immunised.

hand information to know that. though the guiness for giving blood donations is the best.... takes soooo little booze to get wasted after giving blood...

Stargal

Indy! Where have you been you hot piece of ass, you?! I've missed you so much...

And just back on topic - there was a great article by one of the Guardian's science correspondent's about 2 months ago about the whole 'controversy' over the MMR vaccine, and how despite there being absolutely no evidence to back up the claims that the scientist involved made, thousands of kids weren't vaccinated because their parents were worried about the alleged dangers that didn't actually exist and which all reputable scientists involved in the field had dismissed. Muppets.

John

stargal wrote:

Muppets.

cuckoo

Get immunised!

I for some reason never got the measles vaccine as a kid, think i might have missed it by a few months due to age, or something, got the other ones...

Then...i got measles when i was 16 during one of the periodic outbreaks in Dublin that Indy mentioned. It. Was. Horrific.

d4gurl

Does TCD not provide immusisation facilties? Do we have to go down to the GP?

ApeXaviour

d4gurl wrote:

Does TCD not provide immusisation facilties? Do we have to go down to the GP?

Trinity has a free GP for students

wheresthebeef

the trinity doctor will not provide vaccinations free of charge. st james hospital student nurses had to protest last year to get them for free from the hospital that was training them, the college health service wouldnt vaccinate people for free.

ApeXaviour

wheresthebeef wrote:

the trinity doctor will not provide vaccinations free of charge.

Yes they will, at least the MMR vaccination is free of charge: http://www.tcd.ie/College_Health/documents/COLLEGE%20HEALTH%20SERVICE.CHARGES.pdf

It does not mention Men C. But that should also be free if it's available, as it's a governmental initiative to get everyone 22 vaccinated against that. I'd be surprised at any young irish resident who isn't.

wheresthebeef wrote:

st james hospital student nurses had to protest last year to get them for free from the hospital that was training them, the college health service wouldnt vaccinate people for free.

Are the college health service to blame for that? They claim to provide free consultations, no more. They have to pay for the vaccinations too so they cant do anything about that. It's college administration you should be complaining too. Should CS students get IS services to pay for their laptops?

Nietzschean

can we get blackboards n chalk?

cuckoo

I got the Men C vaccine free of charge in the Health Centre.

The student nurses stuff is more occupational health than public health.

And, while i'm pimping the health centre - STI testing clinics are also held there, plus smear tests. There's a small charge for them, in the case of the STIs tests to cover the costs of couriering the samples for testing - but, it's much, much cheaper than anywhere else in Dublin. And, contraceptive advice is free - you make an appointment and one of the nurses will run through all the options, then the doctor writes any neccesary prescriptions.

Lots of the pharmacies around Coll also give discounts on prescriptions that were written in the TCD Student Health centre.