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Prevention and education

Meningococcal vaccine legislation requirements change

Recent legislation from the Iowa Department of Public Health will impact students in Hamilton County this fall. Students in going into grades seven and 12 during the fall of 2017 will be required to get the meningitis vaccine.

“The Iowa Department of Public Health has implemented a new administrative rule for vaccine requirement for students entering seventh and 12th grade for the fall of 2017,” said Dawn Trujillo, RN at Hamilton County Public Health. “Those children are required to have one meningitis vaccine.”

Meningococcal disease is caused by a type of bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis. It can lead to meningitis, infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, and infections of the blood, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health.

“It’s easily spread from person to person,” Trujillo said. “I think that’s why they’re gearing it to these kids. These kids are sharing drinks, it’s transmitted through saliva, so kissing..”.

Meningococcal disease can spread through close contact like coughing or kissing or lengthy contact.

“The only way a child can not receive this is by the parent either producing to the school a religious waiver or a medical waiver,” said Trujillo.” A medical waiver would have to be signed by a physician and basically say that if the child were to receive the vaccine it would cause serious side effects.”

The administrative rule change was effective on Jan. 11, 2017 and will be implemented for the 2017-2018 school year.

“This is just a new law for the incoming seventh and 12th graders,” Trujillo said.

According to Trujillo, information regarding the legislation and requirements has already been sent home in the Webster City School District. Information will be provided to all schools in Hamilton County in the near future.

Students are taking home permission slips to be signed by parents. These will allow Hamilton County Public Health officials to come to the schools and vaccinate these kids.

According to Trujillo, a school-based clinic will be next month. This is an opportunity for students who are eligible to get vaccinated.

Hamilton County Public Health receives their vaccine from the Iowa Department of Public Health from the Vaccines For Children (VFP) Program.

“For a child to be eligible to get those vaccines free they have to meet one of four criteria: no insurance, have Medicaid, have health insurance that doesn’t pay for vaccines, or be of American-Eskimo descent,” said Trujillo. “The only kids we can’t really vaccinate with that particular vaccine are children that have insurance and can go to the doctor and get it at no expense.”

According to the IDPH, even when treated, meningococcal disease kills 10 to 15 infected people out of 100. Of those who survive, about 10 to 20 out of every 100 will suffer disabilities such as hearing loss, brain damage, kidney damage, or nervous system problems.

“We haven’t seen many of these childhood illnesses because of the requirements of vaccines and because of that you kind of forget that there are bad side effects from a lot of these diseases as well as death,” said Shelby Kroona, MPH at Hamilton County Public Health.

Trujillo noted that they would not be able to do this without the support of school nurses and staff throughout Hamilton County.

“We are very fortunate to have good nurses and staff at schools who can get the information out,” Trujillo said. “We couldn’t do it without them. They know the kids. They know how to get the information out.”

“Even though we haven’t had any illnesses in Hamilton County, this vaccine program will help make sure that we don’t have any,” Kroona said.

Kroona explained that now that the meningitis shot will be required by schools, students who don’t get the vaccine in the allotted time may not be allowed to attend school until they get the vaccine.

“Because this has been now required by the state, if children are not vaccinated for this and don’t have either of those two waivers, they can be excluded from school for not being fully vaccinated,” Kroona said.

Parents with questions about the legislation can contact Hamilton County Public Health at (515) 832-9565.

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