Add Meningitis Vaccine to Back-to-School List
CDC targets adolescents, college Students

If you are the parent of a preteen, high school, or college-aged child, a new meningococcal vaccine could be one of the most important items on your back-to-school list this year. The new MCV4 vaccine offers protection against certain forms of bacterial meningitis, a potentially deadly disease that often strikes teens and young adults.

Meningococcal disease affects about 3,000 Americans each year, killing as many as 300. Since its symptoms are often confused with respiratory illnesses like the flu, it can easily be overlooked. It is a serious disease that can become deadly within only a few hours and is also highly contagious.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that routine meningococcal vaccinations be given to the following high-risk groups:

• Children 11-12 years old
• Previously unvaccinated adolescents when they enter high school
• College freshmen living in dormitories

Click here To learn more about meningitis or the vaccine at the CDC website.