Key Vaccinations for College Students

I remember when my daughter caught a seasonal flu when she was at college and didn’t have a roommate yet.  She was too weak to walk through icy winds to the student cafeteria to eat or even stock up on water or juice.  2500-miles from Vegas, we both were traumatized until she learned how to rely on new people to get her through.

College students may be young and healthy, but going off to school carries unique risks. ”Somebody 19 years old is 20 times more likely to get H1N1 than someone 65 years or older,” says Humboldt County Health Officer Ann Lindsay indicating that college-aged students are among those who are most at risk — people aged 6 months to 24 years old. If students do get sick, there are precautions they should take to keep from passing it along: try to isolate themselves, if possible; wash their hands; stay out of class; potentially wearing a mask.  Students should ask their student health center for specific and complete guidelines for their college.

The close quarters of dormitories facilitate the spread of all kinds of sicknesses, so parents might rest easier knowing that their kids are protected.  The CDC recommends specific vaccinations for college students, to prevent life threatening or health destroying diseases, including meningitis and Hepatitis B.  Thirty-four states require vaccination against the potentially deadly bacterial meningitis (meningococcal disease).  Many colleges have their own requirements.  But just because your state or college doesn’t require vaccinations, that doesn’t mean that you should forgo the protection.  Flu shots can be found at a variety of places.  For more complete sets of shots, visit the closest Public Health Center (see below). Call ahead to find out if vaccines are in, if hours are specified for flu clinics and if you need to bring anything.

Staying healthy and getting a flu vaccine have non-health benefits as well.  When kids get sick, their grades drop off, making it harder to catch up and keep up their GPAs. Many kids are making their food choices for themselves for the first time, deciding whether and when to wash their sheets and being responsible for keeping their rooms clean without a parent looking over their shoulders.  Add the allure of drinking, staying up late, nightly partying, sex, and the chances of students picking up diseases increases dramatically. Figuring out how to resist those temptations is an essential part of growing up.  But parents might rest easier if they can at least not have to worry about things like hep b.

Ravenholt Public Health Center
625 Shadow Lane
Las Vegas, NV 89106
Phone: (702) 759-1000

East Las Vegas Public Health Center
560 North Nellis Blvd Suite E12
Las Vegas, NV 89110
Phone: (702) 759-0900

Henderson Public Health Center
520 E. Lake Mead Parkway
Henderson, NV 89015
Phone: (702) 759-1040

North Las Vegas Public Health Center
1820 East Lake Mead Suite F
North Las Vegas, NV 89030
Phone: (702) 759-0700

Image courtesy of Alan Goya.

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