The last case of meningococcemia on the University of Oregon’s campus was about a month ago. This doesn’t mean that students aren’t still at risk for getting infected, and health officials are strongly encouraging students to get each dose of the Meningitis B vaccine.
This vaccine comes in two forms. One is a three-dose vaccination series called Trumenba. The other is a two-dose series called Bexsero.
About 10,000 students have received the first dose of the Trumenba or Bexsero so far, said UO spokeswoman Jen McCulley. In an email to the Emerald, she added that only a small number of people have waited long enough to be eligible to receive subsequent doses.
There are no known risks that come with not getting the subsequent doses of either vaccine, said Lane County Public Health Officer,Patrick Luedtke. However, without the subsequent doses, immunity will not be boosted to an adequate level.
He said that as far as side effects to the vaccine go, he hasn’t heard of any major ones, other than a little more muscle pains or higher fevers than expected.
One student who was vaccinated, Gerald Jakabosky, developed a fever and headache after receiving the first dose of the vaccine. He wanted to make sure he was okay, so health officials suggested he get a spinal tap to be safe. This kept him out of school for a week.
He noted that this was not due to the vaccine itself, but to the procedures he underwent to make sure he was healthy afterwards. He still received the second dose of the vaccine and did not react negatively.
Luedtke added that if students are unable to receive subsequent doses of the vaccine at the appropriate time, they should make arrangements to receive it as soon as they are able.
“This can be a devastating illness and the only magic bullet that we have at present is the vaccine,” Luedtke said. “So, we want to give people the first dose and we want to give them a timely second dose.”
There is currently no data showing that someone has to start the vaccination process over if they don’t get the second dose at the appropriate time, Luedtke said. This could change in five years though, when more people have gotten the vaccine.
Students who received a vaccination dose at the clinic in Matthew Knight Arena in March were given the Trumenba series. A second dose will be offered to these students at Matthew Knight Arena from May 12 to 14. Students who haven’t been vaccinated yet can also receive the first dose of the Trumenba vaccine at this clinic.
Both vaccination series are offered at the University Health Center and pharmacies including Safeway, Albertson’s and Walgreens offer at least one of the series.
McCulley said that students should call the Health Center at (541)-346-2770 if they are behind on vaccinations or to check which vaccinations they have already had.
“We’re not out of the woods. People are still not immune. They’re still at risk,” Luedtke said. “This bacteria is still circulating and the only way to prevent the infection is to get immunity through a vaccine.”