Teenage students entering college in the fall will be preparing for plenty of things. However, not many might be aware, including their parents, to prepare for vaccinations. In some states and schools, inoculations for incoming freshmen are required, especially since the kids are going to encounter health risks when they are living in a dormitory.
According to Vaccines.Gov, young adults should get vaccinated for college to prevent developing or spreading sickness in campus. Thousands of students converging in closed environments -- such as classrooms, recreation centers or dorms - means they will always be in close contact with people who are sick. The vaccines will help curb an outbreak. Among the highly needed college vaccines are enumerated below:
1. Meningococcal conjugate vaccine: The Center for Disease Control recommends this vaccine, but it is mandatory in many states. This college vaccine helps curb meningitis bacterial infection, which can spread fast and have known to cause an outbreak in college campuses, per The Washington Post. If an incoming freshman has had meningitis vaccine a few years before, it is recommended that the individual gets a booster shot before going off to college.
Paige's son contracted #meningitis in #college. She wants college students to get BOTH the booster & the B vaccine! https://t.co/0FSxBbq2dJ
— NMA (@NMAtweets) May 24, 2016
2. Flu vaccine: The standard recommendation for flu vaccine is at 6 months old. This is a seasonal vaccine, which means individuals should get it every year as even healthy people can develop flu when the strain is at its peak. The peak usually occurs when school is about to begin, so it makes sense for college students to get vaccinated for this.
3. Tdap vaccine: This vaccine is usually administered between the ages of 11 to 12, but some kids at age 18 or 19 might not have gotten their Tdap inoculation. Thus, they need to get their shots now. The vaccine is for protection against diseases like tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, as well as whooping cough. For more information on this, the CDC has a Tdap page.
4. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine: Highly recommended for sexually active individuals, the HPV vaccine protects against genital warts, cervical and anal cancer. It should be noted that HPV vaccine is introduced during the pre-teen years as well, similar to the Tdap vaccine. But for young adults or college students who have not had them, now is a great time to start with the inoculations.
Parents and students should also take note that some of these college vaccines are administered as a series. It's better to get started early, especially if the freshman is going to a school off-state. Prepare and schedule inoculations with the help of this CDC tool. Also take note that some schools might require proof of previous vaccines as well. Parents and incoming college students can refer to specific state information on immunization laws, via Immunize Org.
