Home / Health / P.E.I. Urges Grads: Get Free Meningitis B Shot!
P.E.I. Urges Grads: Get Free Meningitis B Shot!
29 May
Summary
- Province offers free meningitis B vaccines to high school graduates.
- Meningitis B is a rare, potentially fatal bacterial strain.
- Nurses visited schools to administer doses to Grade 12 students.
Prince Edward Island's chief public health officer is strongly encouraging high school graduates to receive free meningitis B vaccinations offered by the province. This proactive campaign aims to protect students as they enter new life stages, such as attending post-secondary institutions or joining the military, where increased risk factors exist.
Nurses have been actively visiting schools across P.E.I. in recent weeks to administer these crucial doses. Approximately 850 Grade 12 students have been vaccinated, bolstering the province's efforts to prevent potential outbreaks of meningitis B, a rare but serious bacterial infection with a notable fatality rate. While other meningitis vaccines are part of routine childhood immunizations, this marks the first time P.E.I. has made the meningitis B vaccine so accessible to graduating students.
Graduates who missed the opportunity at school can still obtain the vaccine through Public Health Nursing. Post-secondary students at Holland College or UPEI can receive it on campus, and military recruits are also eligible for the free vaccination. This initiative underscores the province's commitment to student health and safety.
