‘Freshers’ flu’ is a common name for a collection of cold viruses that typically spread rapidly when students arrive at university. It’s unpleasant but rarely serious, though sometimes it may be genuine flu. Flu is more than just a bad cold and can be particularly serious for people with long-term health conditions, even when those conditions are well managed.
If you’re starting a new term, here’s some advice to help you protect yourself on campus and keep ‘freshers’ flu’ at bay.
Practise good hygiene
Coughs and sneezes are the main way that colds, flu and COVID-19 spread. To reduce the risk of spreading illness:
- wash your hands often with warm water and soap
- use tissues to trap germs when you cough or sneeze, and bin them straight away
- let in fresh air by opening windows when you’re indoors
If you feel unwell, particularly if you have a temperature, a continuous cough or sneezing fits, you should avoid close contact with other people until you feel better. If you have vomiting or diarrhoea, you should stay away from lectures and social activities, and avoid preparing food for other people, until you have been free from these symptoms for at least 48 hours.
How can I look after myself if I have freshers’ flu or a cold?
Make sure you get plenty of rest and sleep, stay warm, and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. Medicines such as ibuprofen or paracetamol can help lower your temperature and ease aches and pains.
How can I tell the difference between freshers’ flu and meningitis?
The early signs of meningitis can look like a cold or ‘freshers’ flu’ and some symptoms may also be mistaken for a hangover. But anyone with meningitis is likely to become much more unwell, very quickly. It’s important to familiarise yourself with the symptoms of meningitis, let someone know if you feel unwell and keep checking on anyone who seems unwell.
Common meningitis symptoms may occur in any order and can include:
- a high temperature (fever)
- very cold hands and feet
- a stiff neck
- joint and muscle pain
- a severe headache that is getting worse
- eye pain when looking at bright lights
- seizures (fits)
- vomiting (being sick) and diarrhoea
- confusion
- being very sleepy or difficult to wake
- spots or a rash that does not fade when pressed with a glass (this may be harder to see on brown or black skin)
The bacteria that cause meningitis can also cause sepsis (sometimes called septicaemia), and the two conditions can occur separately or together. It’s important to act quickly if you think you or someone else could have meningitis or sepsis.
Call 999 immediately or go to your nearest A&E if you think you or someone else could have meningitis, septicaemia or sepsis. Trust your instincts, and don’t wait for all the symptoms, or for a rash, to develop.
Find out more about the signs and symptoms of meningitis on the NHS website, or visit Meningitis Now and Meningitis Research Foundation for further information and support.
Why do so many people get ill when they start university?
With lots of people newly coming together and mixing closely, universities and other higher education institutions can be hotspots for diseases that spread from person to person.
What vaccinations should I consider having?
You should check that you’ve had:
- two doses of MMR, which will have been given in childhood and helps protect against measles, mumps and rubella. Measles can have serious complications, and the disease is currently circulating in the UK with cases across the country. It can lead to 1 in 5 needing a hospital visit. Find out more about the MMR vaccine.
- one dose of MenACWY vaccine, which is offered to teenagers in school, but can be given up to your 25th birthday if it’s been missed (for girls, and for those boys born after 1 September 2006). The vaccine protects against 4 strains (A, C, W & Y) of bacteria that can cause meningitis and septicaemia. Find out more about the MenACWY vaccine.
- one dose of HPV vaccine, which is offered to teenagers in school and protects against 9 high risk strains of the HPV virus that can lead to some cancers, including cervical cancer, mouth cancer, head and neck cancer, and cancers of the male and female genitals. Find out more about the HPV vaccine.
- the Td/IPV vaccination, which is normally given as a booster to teenagers in school, and protects against diphtheria, tetanus and polio. Find out more about Td/IPV.
If you’re moving away from home, register with a GP near your university as soon as possible. Your university may have its own health centre, and you can still access GP care when you’re back home during the holidays.
Check if you’re eligible for the 2026 MenB vaccine offer
There is also a time-limited MenB vaccine offer for some young people in 2026. This is separate from the MenACWY vaccine and protects against meningococcal group B bacteria.
You may be eligible if you’re starting university for the first time this autumn, or starting at an eligible further education college as a residential student. If you’re eligible, you need 2 doses, at least 4 weeks apart. If this may apply to you, find out more about the MenB vaccine programme, and take up the offer of 2 doses.
