Meningitis: Should I get the vaccine?

Every so often meningitis and its vaccine receive quite a bit of media attention. It's great that you both are asking these questions because relying solely on media reports may not give you all the information needed to make educated decisions on whether or not to vaccinate. An in-depth look at the causes, the risk of contracting it, and the effectiveness of the vaccine may be considered when making your decision. While meningitis transmission is rare, factors such as age and community settings can increase the risk of contracting the bacteria. So, your notion is right on the money, A concerned Parent: because of this increased risk, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [2] recommend that first year college students living in residence halls be immunized. There are different vaccines available to protect against the five most common serogroups. Read on for more about the available vaccines and additional recommendations.