Low-cost bacterial meningitis vaccine supplies at public clinics are nearing shortages after new college students began bombarding doctors’ offices in need of the shot before spring classes start, an El Paso public health department official said.
State legislators during the last session passed Senate Bill 1107, which requires all entering college and university students to show evidence of receiving a meningococcal vaccine or a booster dose during a five-year period preceding and at least 10 days before the first day of classes.
All first-time, transfer and returning college and university students younger than 30 who take on-campus classes must receive the vaccine.
Increased need for the vaccine, which is covered by many health insurance plans and is available at most pharmacies, started in mid-December, El Paso Public Health Department spokesman Armando Saldivar said.
“It’s in demand and it’s going fast,” Saldivar said. “I think a lot of people didn’t find out about the requirement until they were registering. That’s when we really started seeing a rush of people.”
Saldivar was referring to the low-cost bacterial meningitis vaccine, which runs $10 at El Paso’s five city-operated health centers.
The severity and high contagion of the rare illness prompted legislators to expand a 2009 law that required new college students living in campus housing to vaccinate against the disease.
Bacterial meningitis can cause gangrene in limbs, brain damage, hearing loss and death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About 1,000 cases of meningitis are reported annually in the United States, more than 10 percent of which have resulted in death. The last reported case of bacterial meningitis in El Paso was in 2009, according to city officials.
“When you’ve got so many students in contact with each other, anything that can prevent any spread of disease is important,” said Linda Gonzalez-Hensgen, vice president of student services at El Paso Community College. “The state law has been around for a while, but it was only mandated for dorm residents. Expanding the law made sense because what about the other students that are still exposed in the classroom and other public areas on campus?”
Exceptions to the law include students with affidavits signed by a doctor that state the vaccination would be detrimental to the student’s health. Students who refuse vaccinations because of religious or other beliefs also are exempt if they sign a conscientious exemption form from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Department of State Health Services officials have not heard of widespread shortages of the vaccine, which it distributes to public health entities through its Adult Safety Net Program, but the agency doesn’t have enough funding to provide the vaccine for every uninsured or underinsured student, department spokesman Chris Van Deusen said.
About 120,000 uninsured first-time students will enter Texas colleges and universities this year, according to the department.
The adult vaccine program, which had a $7.7 million federal funding loss this fiscal year, supplies some free or reduced-cost vaccines for uninsured and underinsured adults.
“(The program) doesn’t have the funding to vaccinate every college student who’s going to need it under the new law,” Van Deusen said. “It would take about $7.8 million to purchase vaccines for those students.”
Since spring semester registration started before the law took effect on Jan. 1, EPCC is having to back-track to make sure all students are in compliance.
“We had students already enroll before we had a way to put a hold on it and follow up,” Gonzalez-Hensgen said. “We’ve been calling and emailing students that have registered that will be required to take the vaccine.”
The new law hasn’t posed hindrances for students registering for classes at the University of Texas at El Paso, said Gary Edens, interim vice president for student affairs.
UTEP is focusing its awareness efforts on transfer and international students and those returning from a school hiatus since most high school students have up-to-date meningitis vaccines, Edens said.
Some public school districts have spread word of the new vaccination requirements for current high school seniors who would start college this fall.
The Ysleta Independent School District has circulated fliers in English and Spanish at high schools with vaccine information. Ysleta students can receive a vaccine from high school nurses for $10, said Carey Raymond-Holden, coordinator of student health services.
Young children typically receive meningitis vaccines between the ages of 2 and 6, but by the time they reach the later high school years, the vaccine has worn off, Raymond-Holden said.
“It’s very highly contagious,” she said. “If you have listened to any of the survivors who’ve talked about it, they’re deathly ill. It’s a fast-acting event.”
Hayley Kappes may be reached at hkappes@elpasotimes.com; 546-6168.
For more information
Low-cost meningococcal vaccines are available at five city of El Paso Health Centers.
All vaccines cost $10 for one and $20 total for patients that receive more than one vaccine.
People should call 771-5822 or 771-5733 to check on availability of the bacterial meningitis vaccine before going to a clinic.
The clinics are open from 6:30 to 11:15 a.m. and 1 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday with alternating Saturdays.
Henderson clinic, 721 S. Mesa. In addition to regular hours, open every fourth Saturday of the month.
Northeast clinic, 5587 Trans Mountain. In addition to regular hours, open every second Saturday of the month.
Tigua clinic, 7862 San Jose. Closed on Saturdays. Immunizations provided at Bassett Place mall from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the third Saturday of the month.
Ysleta clinic, 110 Candelaria. In addition to regular hours, open every first Saturday of the month.
Westside clinic, 5195 Mace. In addition to regular hours, open every fourth Saturday of the month.
Website: www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_19702095