100 Words: 13 Reasons why College Freshmen should be Vaccinated for Meningococcal Diseases before Starting College

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There are numerous reasons why college freshmen should be vaccinated for meningococcal diseases before starting college. Utterly serious and potentially fatal, these diseases should be taken seriously, even by ultra-healthy youngsters just starting out their life at a new school. The following are some reasons why these vaccines should be administered.
Even very healthy students can get a meningococcal disease in college
It does not matter if a person is completely healthy. They can acquire a meningococcal disease in college no matter what. There have been many cases of these turning up in recent years, and many of these students have no risk factors. Getting the vaccine can help protect them.
Meningococcal diseases are extremely dangerous
These diseases can affect the brain and are very dangerous. They can lead to serious illness, brain damage and even death. Even if your relative chances of getting them are small the results can be very devastating. Many of the cases do end up being serious.
Meningococcal diseases can come on very quickly
These diseases can come on extremely quickly. One day the person can be extremely healthy and just a few days later they could be in the hospital fighting for their life. Because everything happens so quickly, sometimes it is difficult to catch it before it gets very serious. This can lead to difficulties in treatment. Of course, the best thing to do is to stop it before it starts by preventing the student from getting it, which is what the vaccine can do.
Many students will not go for health care quick enough
College students are not known for their commitment to receiving health care. When they are at home, their parents might be on the lookout. The parents might move quicker at taking their child to the doctor and might be more aware of what could be a real problem. A college student might not be used to looking after themselves and might try to brave it out without going to a doctor. Again, because it moves so quickly, this waiting can cause a real problem down the road.
Meningococcal diseases can be very contagious
On a college campus everyone is very close together. A lot of these diseases can be easily spread because people are in such close quarters. In addition, college students may not be great at taking the precautions necessary to prevent against the disease spreading.
Meningococcal diseases are extremely dangerous, especially for college students because of the above factors. If you are fortunate enough to have access to a vaccine, you might want to strongly consider whether it is right for you.
Updated On: 04/14/2010 Published On: 04/14/2010 Best personalized gifts for groomsmen