Operation Immunization, is providing free Type B Meningitis vaccinations at the Meridian and Pocatello campuses of ISU Wednesday, February 3rd from 10am to 2pm at the Rendezvous Building on the ISU Pocatello campus during the Healthy Bengal Wellness Fair. This particular form of meningitis is deadly if contracted and specifically targets young people living in close quarters with one another. Many students do not know that vaccinations are available to prevent this disease. The people at Operation Immunization are hopeful that their efforts will get fellow students involved, vaccinated and also result in us asking ISU and other Idaho colleges, through a student resolution, to create policies that require this vaccination along with others to help protect the health of young people. There is currently no requirement to do so. They encourage students to use social media channels and the hashtag #menbnotatmyu to talk about this effort. There is also a social media contest around this to help spread the word further.
Each year, 10% of the 3,000 who contract meningitis will die, usually within 24 hours. Others can potentially lose limbs, their eyesight or hearing from the disease. Type B Meningitis is a form of meningitis that up until now has been relatively rare, and is not included in the regular meningitis vaccine. Type B Meningitis outbreaks have already occurred on campuses such as Princeton, Drexel, San Diego State, and the closest to ISU being the University of Oregon. At the University of Oregon, last year health officials scrambled to get students vaccinated after one student died and six others were infected. Ultimately, more than 20,000 students were vaccinated and the outbreak ended.
