Hoffman Estates offering meningitis vaccine

The Village of Hoffman Estates Department of Health and Human Services is offering a vaccine to protect teens ages 16 to 18 years old against meningococcal B disease.

Meningococcal disease can cause meningitis, a bacterial infection of the brain, spinal cord, and blood. It spreads from person to person through close contact. Meningitis can affect anyone, especially adolescents 16 to 23 years old. There are over 12 types of meningitis, but most meningococcal disease is caused by serogroups A, B, C, W, and Y. The current school requirements for the meningitis vaccine contain all of the above serogroups except type B in the vaccine.

The vaccine will be offered during monthly immunization clinics or by appointment for college students who are 18 years old. Please call (847) 781-4850 to schedule or visit www.immunize.org/vis/meningococcal_b.pdf for more information on Meningitis B.