AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) – UMass officials are urging all students to get vaccinated against meningitis after two students were infected with the same strain, leading to UMass declaring the outbreak on Tuesday.
UMass Health Services Director Dr. George Corey told 22News the group that they want to target are undergraduate students and graduate students living with undergraduates. He said that group is considered to be the most at risk.
UMass holding large-scale Meningitis vaccination for students
On Thursday, health officials turned the Student Union building into a four-day, walk-in clinic and purchased more than 10,000 doses of vaccines.
“I think the CDC came here and said that they recommended that everyone get it,” Freshman Andrew Cornin said. “So, for undergraduates, we were deemed high risk.”
There is a meningitis vaccine required for college attendance but it doesn’t cover Serogroup B, the strain that infected the two UMass students.
“The two cannot be mixed together in one shot,” Dr. Corey explained. “So, the consideration is, should this second shot become a requirement? At this moment, I strongly recommended that.”
UMass Amherst preparing to vaccinate students after meningitis outbreak declared
Meningititis is an infection that affects the lining of the brain and spinal cord and can lead to long-term disability and even death. The vaccine is a two-shot vaccination and requires students to return for the second vaccine in 30 days.
Dr. Corey told 22News UMass has access to enough vaccines for every student on campus.
