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Florida Universities Must Make Meningitis Shot A Requirement

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 26, 2007

The sudden death of University of South Florida student Rachel Futterman from bacterial meningitis has been a wakeup call for students, with hundreds on the campus rushing to get vaccinated. But the tragedy also should be a wakeup call for state officials, who need to strengthen public health safeguards.
Bacterial meningitis - and the more common viral meningitis - is a greater risk to college students than the general population because they often live in crowded dorms and apartments. The infection is spread by coughing, sneezing, kissing and drinking out of the same cup.

In many cases by the time anyone realizes how serious the victim's condition has become, it's too late too save them.

Florida law technically requires college students living in on-campus housing have the meningitis shot. But the rule is meaningless. Students can ignore the requirement by simply signing a waiver that says they've been given information on meningitis and chose not to have the vaccine.

Florida should mandate the vaccine - with only medical or religious exemptions - for all incoming freshman and all students who want to live on campus.

The Florida Board of Governors should act quickly to tighten the requirement for all state universities, and state lawmakers should follow up with legislation that eliminates the loophole.

The start of college is a busy time and it's understandable most students and their parents don't want to bother with the $100 shot.

USF is unable to confirm whether Futterman waived the meningitis vaccine before she moved into the Delta Gamma sorority house on campus, but the university is already rightly starting to rethink its vaccine policy.
Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the fluid in the spinal cord or the tissues surrounding the brain. Some 3,000 people a year contract the disease, even though the vaccine is widely available and highly effective against four common bacterial strains. The two most susceptible groups to the infection are babies and college students.

Given that this infection presents a specific threat to college students, the state has cause to require the safeguard. It affects the public's safety on state property.

The cost of a vaccine program is an issue. But college officials should explore if the shot could be covered by the financial aide that goes to needy students. Health insurance will cover the cost for many students.

This summer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices issued new guidelines that teens between the ages of 11 and 18 be vaccinated against bacterial meningitis. Yet, only about 12 percent of teenagers get the shot.

Clearly a public health education campaign is needed. But Florida also needs to put some muscle in its vaccine requirement and lessen the odds for additional tragedies.

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