Which Meningitis Shot Is Needed For College

What Is Meningococcal Disease

Meningococcal disease is a serious illness caused by a bacterium. It can cause meningitis, which is an infection of the brain and spinal cord, and it can also cause blood infections. The infection can cause death or lifelong disability.

About 375 people get the disease each year, and about 10 to 15 out of 100 people infected with meningococcal disease die. Of those who survive, up to one out of five have permanent disabilities, such as deafness, brain damage, loss of limbs, or seizures.

A person with meningococcal disease may become seriously ill very quickly. Antibiotics can treat meningococcal infections, but often can’t be given soon enough to help.

Can The Disease Be Treated

• Antibiotic treatment, if received early, can save lives and changes of recovery are increased. However, permanent disability or death can still occur.
• Vaccinations are available and should be considered for:
• Those living in close quarters
• College students 25 years old or younger
• Vaccinations are effective against 4 of the 5 most common bacterial types that cause 70 percent of the disease in the U.S. .
• Vaccinations take 7-10 days to become effective, with protection lasting 3-5 years.
• The cost of vaccine varies, so check with your health care provider.
• Vaccination is very safe the most common side effects are redness and minor pain at injection site for up to two days.

Tips For Staying Healthy At College

Between classes, exams, homework, meetings, and trying to maintain a social life, it can be difficult to keep up with your personal health and wellness in college. Students can forget until an illness stops them from being able to function normally. Here are some simple tips on how to stay healthy admits all the college bustle:

• Eat right Remember to eat breakfast, keep healthy snacks around, and limit the caffeine intake. Your diet can be hard to remember when youre away from home, but its an essential part of your health.
• Exercise Walking or biking to class is a great form of exercise. At almost all colleges, you get a gym membership to their facility included in your tuition. Take advantage of this as much as you can.
• Get Enough Sleep Just taking a short nap during the school day can do wonders to boost your energy. If you stick to a consistent sleep schedule throughout the week, youll get a better, deeper nights sleep.
• Stay Protected Sexual health is important in a college environment. Always use protection, get tested, and take advantage of any vaccinations.
• Manage Your Stress Its easy to become run-down with all the tasks you have to complete as a college student. Take a break from your work by engaging in a hobby, spend time with friends, or learn time management skills.

Have you ever experienced an illness in college that kept you from your studies? Comment below, on , or via .

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Only Received 1 Meningitis Vaccine Heres Why You Need A Second

Different vaccines can protect you from different types of meningitis. But many people are only aware of one, leaving them vulnerable to the disease especially college students.

Many people are aware that meningitis is a vaccine-preventable disease. But a number of people may not know that there are different types of meningitis and different vaccinations are needed to inoculate people from them.

In the United States, there are currently two different vaccinations for meningitis.

The first, MenACWY, is a vaccine many people have already had. Its typically included in the regular vaccine schedule and given to children around age 11. recommends people get at age 16.)

However, the second vaccination, MenB, is relatively new.

It was released for use in the United States in 2014. While its approved for anyone between the ages of 10 and 25, it hasnt yet been added to the standard vaccination schedule.

As a result, has found that 80 percent of parents dont even realize a second vaccination exists and they may be under the mistaken impression that their children are fully protected against meningitis after just receiving the MenACWY vaccine.

They arent.

According to Alicia Stillman and Patti Wukovits of the Meningitis B Action Project, doctors arent talking about this latest option with their patients, leaving many people vulnerable to the disease.

It Does Not Matter Which Menb Vaccine You Use

CDC has no preference as to which MenB vaccine you use, but adolescents must receive the same vaccine product for all doses. If an adolescent receives different products for any of the doses, proceed with the next scheduled dose of the selected product with a minimum of 1 month since the last dose of either product.

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What Are The Top Vaccines That College Students Need

“Each patient will have a different situation, and their medical records can bring them up to date. Overall, the ones I’d emphasize are meningitis and hepatitis B.”

“Almost every college requires or strongly recommends students be vaccinated for meningitis, especially if they plan to live in the dorms. Close quarters make it easier for bacteria to spread.”

“Hepatitis B is a blood-borne infection, but can also be transmitted through sexual activity. The disease can have long-term liver consequences. The hepatitis B vaccine is a three-dose series, and might be among the safest vaccines ever made.”

“I would also recommend the combined tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccine.”

Administer Menb Vaccines At 16 Through 18 Years Of Age To Maximize Protection When Adolescents Are At Highest Risk

CDC recommends vaccine providers who choose to administer the MenB vaccine series give it in later adolescence. The preferred age at which to administer MenB vaccine is between 16 to 18 years. This timing maximizes the likelihood that vaccinated adolescents will have protection during the ages when they are at highest risk. Clinicians hopefully will see college-bound adolescents during a pre-college visit. If so, this visit provides an opportunity to initiate the MenB vaccine series for those who choose to receive it.

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College Students Now Required To Get Bacterial Meningitis Vaccine

They kiss, they share water bottles, they live in tightly packed dormitories, and so they are at a higher risk of getting meningitis, a potentially fatal disease, than many other sectors of the population.

Thats why New Jersey has just become the 38th state to require college students to be vaccinated against bacterial meningitis as a condition for attending an institution.

Gov. Phil Murphy signed bill A-1991 on Jan. 14, endorsing a law that advocates hope will prevent outbreaks of the rare but potentially deadly disease on college campuses.

Meningitis is an extraordinarily dangerous disease thats spread through casual contact, said Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz , one of the bill sponsors. It can kill you, and it can also maim you for life.

She said a typical college dorm lifestyle that involves sharing water glasses, silverware and bathrooms is more likely to spread meningitis than other settings such as crowded commuter trains or offices. Even if you work in a close space, you dont tend to kiss your co-workers, she said.

Although high school students may experience similar living conditions, they are already covered by a program that vaccinates them at about 12 and then again at 16. The new law aims to prevent the disease in the older age group.

Guidance On Reporting Adverse Events Following Immunization

To ensure the ongoing safety of vaccines in Canada, reporting of AEFIs by vaccine providers and other clinicians is critical, and in some jurisdictions, reporting is mandatory under the law.

Vaccine providers are asked to report AEFIs, through local public health officials, and to check for specific AEFI reporting requirements in their province or territory. In general, any serious or unexpected adverse event felt to be temporally related to vaccination should be reported.

For additional information about AEFI reporting, please refer to Adverse events following immunization. For general vaccine safety information, refer to Vaccine safety and pharmacovigilance in Part 2.

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What Vaccines Do You Need Before College

31 May 16

College-bound students are about to make the transition to adulthood, but that doesn’t mean that they’re done with vaccines. In fact, lifestyle changes and dormitory living can put college students at higher risk for certain infections.

Here’s a list of vaccines that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends for young adults before they go off to college:

Meningococcal conjugate vaccine: In addition to the CDC’s recommendation that students get vaccinated against meningococcal disease before starting college, some states actually make the shot mandatory.

Meningococcal disease is a bacterial infection that can cause meningitis, or a swelling of the membranes that cover the brain or spinal cord. The bacteria that cause the disease can spread from person to person, and the illness can be life-threatening.

People living in close quarters, including college dorms, are at higher risk for becoming infected with meningococcal disease. Outbreaks of the disease have also been reported on college campuses over the last several years, the CDC said. For this reason, the CDC recommends that the vaccine be given to first-year college students.

Whooping cough vaccine booster: Adolescents should get a whooping cough vaccine booster shot when they are 11 to 12 years old. But if they didn’t get this booster shot as a preteen or teen, they should get one dose of Tdap before college, the CDC said.

Cdc Recommends Meningococcal Vaccination For People Identified As Being At Increased Risk During Outbreaks

CDC supports state and local health departments in investigating outbreaks and implementing outbreak control measures. During a serogroup A, C, W, or Y meningococcal disease outbreak, CDC recommends MenACWY vaccination for people at increased risk because of the outbreak. During a serogroup B meningococcal disease outbreak, CDC recommends MenB vaccination for people at increased risk because of the outbreak. People who have previously received MenACWY or MenB vaccine and become at increased risk because of an outbreak may be recommended to receive a booster dose depending on how long it has been since they previously received the vaccine.

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When To Get Vaccinated

The key to the meningitis vaccines is to make sure that your teen gets them at the right time. Your child may get the MCV4 vaccine if they are:

• Between 11 and 15 years old. After the initial MCV4 vaccine, your teen will get a booster shot after five years.
• After the age of 16. In this case, your teen wont need the booster shot. Important to note: Its better to get the vaccines earlier rather than later. This will help prevent meningitis during your teens high school years.
• First-year college students. This applies to those who havent received a diagnosis or missed their booster shots.
• Those deemed by a pediatrician to need extra protection. This is due to underlying illnesses. Examples include immune system disorders or a damaged spleen.

Technically, the MenB vaccine is approved for children over the age of 10. Your doctor might recommend a dose at a younger age if your child has immune system deficiencies. But MenB is usually taken around the age of 16. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends MenB shots for teens ages 16 to 18. However, it may be given to young adults up to 23 years old.

People With Certain Medical Conditions Need A Primary Series Of Menb Vaccine And Routine Booster Doses

Vaccinate people who have the following medical conditions with a primary series of MenB vaccine:

• Complement component deficiency
• Functional or anatomic asplenia

The primary series for Bexsero® requires 2 doses. Administer the second dose at least one month after the first dose. The primary series for Trumenba® for people at increased risk requires 3 doses. Administer the second dose 1 to 2 months after the first dose. Administer the third dose 6 months after the first dose.

Administer a booster dose of MenB vaccine 1 year after series completion and then every 2 to 3 years thereafter, to people with these medical conditions.

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How Do I File For An Exemption

• If you are over the age of 22 prior to the start of the term, you will automatically receive the exemption.
• If you plan on taking only online courses, you will need to contact the Admissions Office and ask for the exemption. Note: if Admissions grants you this exemption and then you enroll in on-campuses courses, you will be dropped from these on-campus courses.
• Students can opt to file an exemption under one of the provisions from the Texas Department of State Health Services by completing the exemption form found at .
• The form is valid for any student requesting an exemption under one of provisions regardless if the student is living on or off campus or their age.
• You must print the form, complete it, and submit it to the Admissions Office.

Which Colleges And Universities Currently Require The Meningitis B Vaccine Where Have There Been Past Cases

MenB is more common among those 16-23 and is 5+ times more likely in college students. Yet few colleges are requiring the Meningitis B vaccine. There are 5,300 colleges and universities, and more than 30,000 high schools in the United States. We only know of 42 schools currently requiring Meningitis B vaccination.

• schools requiring MenB vaccination

• schools with past MenB case

• schools recommending MenB vaccination

Scroll down to see the list of schools. Data is compiled based on publicly available data from campus immunization forms.

SCHOOLS CURRENTLY REQUIRING MENB VACCINATION

California

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Measles Mumps And Rubella

Most people born after 1957 in the U.S. are immunized against measles, but sometimes they missed a dose in childhood. Without both of the required shots, your college student may not have full immunity. Check your childs immunization records, and schedule a booster if necessary.

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Are Students Required To Get Meningococcal Vaccine Before College

Yes. Massachusetts law requires the following students receive quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine :

• Secondary School : newly enrolled full-time students who will be living in a dormitory or other congregate housing licensed or approved by the secondary school must provide documentation of having received a dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine at any time in the past.
• Postsecondary Institutions : newly enrolled full-time students 21 years of age and younger must provide documentation of having received a dose of quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine on or after their 16th birthday, regardless of housing status.

Immunizations should be obtained prior to enrollment or registration however, students may be enrolled or registered provided that the required immunizations are obtained within 30 days of registration. There is no requirement for meningococcal B vaccination. However, adolescents and young adults may also be vaccinated with a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine, preferably at 16 through 18 years of age, to provide short term protection for most strains of serogroup B meningococcal disease.

More information about requirements and exemptions may be found in the MDPH document Information about Meningococcal Disease, Meningococcal Vaccines, Vaccination Requirements and the Waiver for Students at Colleges and Residential Schools.

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Submit Your Mv Documentation

• Via WebAdvisor:
• Select Meningitis Record Submission from the Prepare to Register menu

The information will be maintained in the Admissions and Records Office in accordance with Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act regulations.

Note: If you fail to submit required MV documents, you will be restricted from registering for classes.

What Are The Symptoms Of Meningococcal Disease

Signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease include sudden onset of fever, stiff neck, headache, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and/or mental confusion. A rash may also be present. Changes in behavior such as confusion, sleepiness, and unresponsiveness are important symptoms of illness. Anyone who has these symptoms should be seen by a healthcare provider immediately. In fatal cases, death can occur in as little as a few hours, even with appropriate medical treatment. Less common presentations include pneumonia and arthritis.

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What Are The Options For Meningococcal Vaccine

Meningococcal vaccine is highly effective at protecting against four strains of the meningococcal bacteria. Three strains are common in the United States and the fourth strain protects travelers to certain countries where the disease is more common.

The MenACWY vaccine does not contain the meningococcal B strain that may cause some cases in adolescents/young adults. The meningococcal B vaccine can be given to people age 16-23 years. MenB vaccine is also recommended for people over age 10 years with certain high-risk conditions. If your clinic does not carry the MenB vaccine, you can ask them to order it for you, or to refer you to another clinic that has the vaccine. Talk to your health care provider about this additional vaccine.

Where Do I Submit My Meningitis Record

In Person: Stop by the Admissions Office at any Dallas College location to drop off proof of meningitis immunization. The office is open Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m., and Fridays 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Online: You can also submit proof of vaccination through the Med+Proctor portal. Its easy!

• Register: Go to medproctor.com and click register to create a new account. Enter your email address and follow the directions to get started.
• Fill out any required personal, medical or insurance information. Download the required forms and follow the directions provided.
• Upload: Log back in to your Med+Proctor account and upload a copy of your forms. Make sure your forms are complete and legible. You will receive an email confirmation once the forms have been reviewed.

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