TUSCALOOSA, Ala. The University of Alabama Russell Student Health Center will be offering meningitis and flu vaccines Wednesday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Ferguson Center Ballroom.
The meningitis vaccine will cost $75, and the flu vaccine will cost $15. Both fees can be billed to a student’s account or to a major credit card.
A large number of students get the flu each year, causing them to miss class and be ill during exams. Complications from the flu can result in bronchitis, pneumonia and ear infections, conditions sometimes requiring hospitalization for treatment.
Meningitis is a rare but serious disease that affects the brain and the spinal cord. The vaccine for meningitis is recommended especially for all college students living in or planning to live in dormitories or residence halls. The number of cases of the disease on college campuses has risen in the last several years. Recent studies indicate that students living in dormitories have a six-fold increased risk of contracting the disease that can be fatal or disabling.
Students allergic to thimerosal or other components of the vaccine should not get the vaccine. Students with an acute illness at the time of vaccine administration should wait until they recover, and pregnant women should consult their private physicians. Also, students under age 18 must have a consent form signed by a parent.
For more information, contact the UA Russell Student Health Center at 205/348-6262.
Contact
Amelia Parker or Linda Hill, Office of Media Relations, 205/348-8325
Source
Connie Diggs, director of student health, 205/348-6262