Kristian Rees is immunised at New College by nurse Jane Lyons Picture Ref: 76922-275THOUSANDS of students from New College are being vaccinated after an outbreak of mumps.

So far 12 students have gone down with the virus and college staff say that unless all students are vaccinated more could catch the disease.

They are being given the MMR vaccine, which protects against mumps, measles and rubella.

Duncan Webster, student services manager at the college, said: "In medical terms four cases count as an outbreak.

"Once the health authority hears that there are four cases in a cluster they come in all guns blazing to stop it spreading.

"There were about four cases before the Easter holidays and more students rang up after the holidays to say they had it.

"We don't know if the cases are linked or if they have all been kissing each other.

"There are 2,000 students at the college. We will be vaccinating between 500 and 2000 of them."

He said this is particularly important in the summer term when many are due to take their finals.

Chris Etheridge is team leader for school nurses in Swindon and was in charge of the vaccinations.

She said: "Mumps does spread quickly particularly in a closed environment.

"People can be infectious before they get any symptoms at all.

"It causes a range of symptoms and can cause infertility in men."

Two of the students who had mumps before Easter were having vaccinations at the college yesterday.

Vince Martin, 19, of Upper Stratton is studying English literature, English language and media studies.

He said: "It was just awful. I felt completely drained and had a really painful swollen neck. Every gland in my body seemed to swell up. I was off for two weeks."

Kristian Rees, 18, is studying sports, history and French and lives in Wanborough.

He said: "I had swelling in my neck but it wasn't actually too bad.

"Quite a few of my friends have had it though it seems to be spreading quite quickly.

"A couple of the girls in my class panicked when they heard about the outbreak but most people seem to be ok about it."

Hayley Giles, 17, studying French, psychology and English was in line for her vaccination. She said: "It's a really good idea that they are vaccinating everyone because a lot of people will be going to university in September and people could catch it there."

Dr Peter Swinyard of the Phoenix Surgery in Toothill says an outbreak of mumps is not rare among students.

"There's something of an epidemic of mumps among college age and early university age students at the moment.

"That cohort of people missed out on the new MMR jab when they were younger so many of them didn't get immunised.

"We are going through a period up and down the country where there are outbreaks of mumps in the 16 to 20s age group."

What is mumps?

MUMPS is a viral infection of the parotid salivary glands, which are below and in front of the ears.

The infection is transmitted through airborne droplets by coughs and sneezes.

There is an incubation period of 16-21 days between coming into contact with the infected person to developing symptoms.

Babies are usually immunised at 12 to 15-months and then again at four years.

Because of concerns over the side effects of MMR vaccine, some children, now aged 15 to 20-years-old were not vaccinated.

Symptoms of mumps include pain when chewing or swallowing, sore throat, fever, feeling tired, loss of appetite, mild abdominal pain, dry mouth and headaches.

There is no treatment but sufferers are advised to drink plenty of cool fluids, especially water and to avoid fruit juice.

Diana Milne