Ready for the semester? Get schooled on MenB among college students
Posted: August 26, 2019
Recent CDC data show that only 17.2 percent of 17-year-olds have received a vaccine that helps protect against meningitis B1
Philadelphia, PA, August 26, 2019 – With the fall semester upon us, it’s often a busy time where you find yourself shopping and preparing for the school year. In the midst of back-to-school planning, don’t overlook health care. Nicolis Williams started his first semester at college ready to take on the world, but because of meningitis, he never got that chance.
While uncommon, meningococcal disease, also known as meningitis, continues to appear on college campuses across the United States. These cases and outbreaks are unpredictable, and the outcomes can be devastating for impacted communities and organizations.2
Early symptoms of meningitis can be mild at first, but the disease can progress quickly and become life threatening, sometimes within 24 hours.3 The good news is that you can help protect yourself against meningitis through vaccination, though vaccination may not protect all recipients.
There are two different types of vaccines available to help protect against the five-vaccine preventable groups of meningitis – A, C, W, Y, and B.4
When you were younger, you may have received a meningitis ACWY vaccine, but you may not have gotten a meningitis B vaccine. As of 2019, only 17.2 percent of 17-year-olds have received a meningitis B vaccine, which wasn’t available until late 2014.1,5
From 2011 through March 2019, meningitis B caused all US college meningococcal outbreaks, involving 13 campuses, 50 cases, and two deaths among an at-risk population of approximately 253,000 students.6 A number of colleges and universities have taken a stand against the disease, recommending or requiring that incoming students get vaccinated before the school year.7
The best way to find out if you’ve received both types of meningitis vaccines is by talking to your doctor. Before you head back to school, take five minutes to learn more about meningitis and how you can help protect yourself.
Visit meningitisB.com for more information.
About GSK
GSK is a science-led global healthcare company with a special purpose: to help people do more, feel better, live longer. For further information please visit www.gsk.com/about-us.
Contact
Christie Gilmore
Christie.x.gilmore@gsk.com
+1.215.764.9816
______________________________________________________________________________________________
1CDC. National, Regional, State, and Selected Local Area Vaccination Coverage Among Adolescents Aged 13–17 Years — United States, 2018. MMWR. 2019; 68(33):718-723.
2CDC. Meningococcal Outbreaks. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/outbreaks/index.html.
3CDC. Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases: Chapter 8: Meningococcal Disease.
Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/surv-manual/chpt08-mening.html. Accessed June 2019.
4CDC. Meningococcal ACWY VIS. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/mening.html.
5CDC. Meningococcal Vaccine Safety. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/vaccines/meningococcal-vaccine.html.
6Marshall GS, Dempsey AF, Srivastava A, Isturiz RE. US College Students Are at Increased Risk for Serogroup B Meningococcal Disease. JPIDS. 2019. piz024, https://doi.org/10.1093/jpids/piz024.
7Meningitis B Action Project. Meningitis B Cases and Mandates Tracker. Available at: https://meningitisbactionproject.org/menbtracker.
Discuss This Article
MOST POPULAR THE STUDENT VOICE
GET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
FOLLOW OUR NEWSPAPER
LATEST THE STUDENT VOICE NEWS
- Review Nikon D5100
- Students Reflect on Tragedy
- Massasoit 20, Dean 10
- Massasoit Students Make Prints with Students at The Mass Hospital School
- The Warriors remained in first place by sweeping the Quinsigamond CC Wyverns
- Holyoke CC Cougars hand the home team Warriors a pair of losses.
- Lady Warriors fall to Springfield
RECENT THE STUDENT VOICE CLASSIFIEDS
OUTSIDE THE LINES
- New Writers and Illustrators Win Decades-Old Science...
- Moving Resources For Military Families
- Historic Agreement Signed By Red Cross and Armed Forces
- Salonpas® Brand Stands the Test of Time
- Tips to “Yard Your Way” This Spring
- Upgraded Upstate Power Grid Will Deliver a Smarter,...
- A Story To Sing About
- The Gap in Gum Care: Why Caring For Your Teeth’s F...
- Top Tips for Signature Scents and Better-Smelling Laundry
- A Dog Trainer’s Top Tips to Support Pets Through Life S...
FROM AROUND THE WEB
- BookTrib's Bites: Four Captivating Spring Reads
- Moms Kick Back with Mamaritas
- Generac Urges Americans to Prepare for Power Outages Early
- Youth Apprenticeship Week Spotlights Opportunities
- New Expo Showcases AI Innovation
- Self-Care and Mental Health Tips for Caregivers
- Adventure Awaits: Discover the Playset that Brings...
- Need Auto Glass Repair? Don’t Despair
- Pioneering Fast and Affordable Broadband for the Underserved
- 7 Reasons Renting an RV Should Be On Every Family’s S...
COLLEGE PRESS RELEASES
- Guidenar Launches New Career Test for Gen Z
- GotIt! Education Offers MathGPT Free to All State & Community Colleges
- Shoff Promotions Comic Book & Sports Card Show
- Semiconductor Research Corp unveils 2024 Research Call, $13.8M Funding
- Charles River Associates Opens Second Scholarship Cycle, Expands to the UK