Meningitis vaccine requirement advances

Students would be required to receive two meningitis vaccinations by a bill advanced from general file Feb. 4.

Under LB18, introduced by Omaha Sen. Bob Krist, every student would receive a meningitis vaccine upon entering the seventh grade and again at age 16.

Krist said that vaccinating adolescents and young adults would have health benefits for the population at large.

“Teen meningitis vaccination can also protect high risk individuals through reduced carriage of bacteria and herd immunity,” he said. “Keeping our teens up-to-date with vaccines is the best defense.”

North Platte Sen. Mike Groene introduced an amendment that would have stricken any requirement for students to receive the vaccine. It also would have required public and private schools to provide information to students’ parents or guardians on the causes and symptoms of meningitis, how the disease spreads and where people can obtain more information about vaccination.

Groene said that the low number of meningitis cases does not warrant a mandatory vaccine program.

“Over the last 11 years, there have only been two cases of meningitis recorded in the 12- to 17-year-old age range and nine in the 18 to 22 age group,” he said. “I believe an education process will be more effective in alerting the populace to the dangers of [the disease].”

Crete Sen. Laura Ebke supported the amendment.

“I recognize that this is a danger, but I’m not sure it rises to the level of a public health risk at this time,” Ebke said. “I’m concerned that for whatever reason we may be overstepping our bounds here in requiring that parents do this.”

Omaha Sen. John McCollister opposed the amendment. He said the potential public costs of treating meningitis warranted a vaccine mandate, noting that one of his classmates died from the disease.

“I think it’s worth the cost if we can save the life of just one person or reduce the debilitating aspects of this disease,” McCollister said.

The amendment failed on a 19-27 vote before senators voted 28-13 to advance the bill to select file.