Attention Freshmen, Get Meningitis Shot

Attention all college freshmen! A new law might stop you from moving on to campus. This new law went into effect January 1st and all incoming students have to get vaccinated against meningitis.

Big 2 News spoke with the UTPB housing director and she told us this is a disease colleges can't ignore, because it can be deadly. So come move in day... no vaccine…means no moving in.

Any student that will newly attend a Texas institution this fall and live on-campus has to get the meningitis shot. This means freshmen and out of state transfers.

"Students are required to present proof of vaccination," explains UTPB Housing Director, Chermae Peel.

Without proof, the dorms and other on-campus living will are off limits; unless you have a valid reason for not having the shot.

"If it's detrimental to their health, they can provide an affidavit from their doctor saying it’s detrimental to their health or the second exemption is if it’s against their conscious, which religious beliefs are included in that," says Peel.

Otherwise it's time to roll up a sleeve! Move in day at UTPB is August 19.  The deal is, students have to get the shot 10 days prior to moving in. If you're short of those 10 days, you'll have to wait to keep yourself and others safe from meningitis.

"When you have student's living in shared quarters diseases can spread more quickly.  It's for the protection of the whole group, rather than just one individual," explains Peel.

There's one group of students we're leaving out. Students like Erica, who live on-campus, but aren't newly enrolled at UTPB. 

"It's not required for me to get the shot, it's just for incoming students," explains Erica.

This is a state-wide law, it effects all Texas institutions, also want to note a meningitis vaccine is only one shot and you're done.