Free Magnet with a Massive Message
Meningitis UK is offering families nationwide a free lifesaving fridge magnet to help prevent deaths from meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia this winter.
The unique ‘Know the Symptoms' magnet highlights the common symptoms of the diseases, explains how to carry out the ‘Tumbler Test', emphasises the need to act quickly with the warning statement ‘Meningitis can kill in under 4 hours' and urges families to follow their instincts and seek medical help immediately if they suspect something is wrong.
The charity warns that at this time of the year the number of cases of bacterial meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia dramatically rise, peaking in February. Based on figures from previous years, about 250 people in England and Wales are likely to be diagnosed with the disease in the first four weeks of January alone.
Medical Advisor to Meningitis UK, Professor Adam Finn, who is a Consultant Paediatrician at the Department of Clinical Sciences at Bristol says "As winter closes in, we brace ourselves for an increase in cases of meningitis and septicaemia in young children and teenagers. Even with the success of the vaccines in use: Hib, Meningococcus C and now the new pneumococcal vaccine, these killer diseases still occur every year and parents and young people need to be on the look out for tell tale signs. Fever with severe headache and neck stiffness or a rash which does not go away when pressed are danger signals that mean medical attention is needed straight away."
Meningitis UK's focus is to support research to find a vaccine to eradicate all forms of meningitis. Although successful vaccines exist to protect against some forms of the disease, there is still no vaccine available to protect against all strains, including the most common form in the UK - meningococcal group B, which causes both meningitis and septicaemia and accounts for almost 90% of all cases.
Chief Executive of Meningitis UK, Steve Dayman, who lost his son Spencer to meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia, says "Meningitis is a terrifying condition which can kill in hours and sadly we have families who support the charity who can confirm this. When minutes count, having the symptoms displayed in an easily accessible place like a fridge can save valuable time and give people the confidence to seek medical help quickly".
MeningitisUK · Registered Charity No.1076774
