One of the kids had to get this - she goes to college in MO. I honestly do not remember the others getting it (one went to WV and one to TX). I have my 4th going to OH in 7 weeks (OMG) but I have not seen anything saying she needs this. She hasn’t gotten her final housing message yet - expects it any day; could that be why?
she will most likely need the vaccine in order to enroll in classes[ and even it is not required, which it SHOULD be , she should GET one before she leaves for college!!!].
How would you feel if she became deathly ill, or even die from meningitis, and you could have prevented it??
All the health professionals we know have vaccinated their kids before college.
@menloparkmom I have to get her a sports physical anyway so I will get her the vaccine – but I was curious why some schools seemed different on the requirements. She has already enrolled in class and received her schedule.
Kid #1 in SC had to supply proof of vaccination. Kid #2, heading for OH like your D, only has to fill out a form stating whether or not he has been vaccinated for meningitis and/or Hep B (he is).
Ohio State and Ohio University (and there may be others) require students living on campus to get the vaccine. Other colleges apparently don’t, but for sure I would vaccinate my kid before he or she goes off to college.
Are there now two types of Meningitis vaccines? I thought I saw a commercial of some sort last week.
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mening/public/index.html
There are two different vaccines for Meningitis.
One is required here in PA for middle school students, with a booster at 16. My D’s university requires that one, along with MMR if living on campus. It’s the Meningitis conjugate vaccine and covers 4 subgroups (A, W, C, Y). I think brand names are Menactra and Menevo.
The other one is for Meningitis subgroup B. That subgroup has been the cause of some outbreaks at colleges in recent years. That is the one my D got before leaving for college (she had already gotten the other one).
Trumenba and Bexsero are the two MenB vaccines available. I think they both require 2 shots now.
I would call your doctor and ask if your D can get the conjugate Meningitis shot first, then the first dose of Men B vaccine and then possibly the second dose at school in the fall.
For maximum protection, they should have both the conjugate meningitis shot plus the MenB shot.
My son went in last month and just saw the nurse and was able to get both of the meningitis shots. To my understanding, it is especially important if they are living in dorms. On his student portal website there is a place to put in the dates of the vaccines (or to check opting out). Not sure exactly how the requirements work. .
Yes, it seems that they can be given at the same visit.
Quoted from this link:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mening/hcp/administering-vaccine.html
I would call the doctor’s office to see if they have both. Because our doctor’s office had to order the MenB shot.
List of states with ACWY mandates for colleges and universities
Different states and colleges have different requirements. Neither of my public, instate schools required the vaccine.
It’s dumb not to get it though. My sophomore (or junior? ah they’re running together now) year, a woman who lived below us died of meningitis within a day of starting to show symptoms. Luckily no one else got it, but my heart still breaks for her family and friends.
Trumenba requires 3 shots.
Also just a heads up- if you get the new MenB shot be aware you actually need two shots… first shot and then a booster shot 1 month later!
Son was required to get a the Men vaccine for college- his drs office also offered the new MenB shot which he also got that day… As I was reading College Confidential last year, someone mentioned for it to work you needed a booster shot the next month. Our doctor hadn’t mentioned this. I called the pediatrician’s office and sure enough there is a vaccine booster needed for MenB one month later.
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mening/hcp/administering-vaccine.html
[quote]
Both serogroup B meningococcal vaccine products require more than one dose for maximum protection. The same vaccine product must be used for all doses.
Bexsero:® Administer two doses (0, ≥1 month after first dose).
Trumenba:® Administer two or three doses
Administer two doses (0, 6 months after first dose) to healthy adolescents who are not at increased risk for serogroup B meningococcal disease.
Administer three doses (0, 1 to 2 months after first dose, 6 months after first dose) to adolescents who are at increased risk for meningococcal disease (including during outbreaks of serogroup B meningococcal disease).
[quote]
Yes, all of the Meningitis shots should have more than one dose. Refer to above link for more info.
@mommdc Calling the ‘doctors office’ is going to be a challenge. We moved here (a different state) when she was a high school student and she hasn’t really seen a regular doctor since then. We used urgent care and such for the minor issues she has had including sports physicals. Now she is 17 (will be 18 in a couple weeks) so I have to move from pediatrician to a regular family doctor! My doctor wouldn’t take her until she was 18.
I have a friend who contracted meningitis when we were in our 20s. He did survive (but barely - it was touch and go for awhile), but it was months and months of recuperating. This is not something you want to mess around with.
Our Pediatrician sees them until 22 I think.
But you could call the county health department or a local pharmacy as well to see if she can get the vaccines there.
AH! So I decided to call my own doctor - I explained she will be 18 soon and they were able to make an appointment for later this month – she will get the vaccines she needs and a physical. I was going to call CVS as they have it I know, but her not having a regular doctor is becoming more of an issue here and there so I guess it is time! I am sure the pediatrician would see her but since she is going to be 18 it makes more sense just to start her with a family doctor now. THANKS!
OH! I didn’t realize she did have one of these - at age 11. I will bring the list to the doctor.