Meningococcal B Vaccine: yes or no?

[RootAnn]

For those whose kids are headed to college or already at college, did your kid get the (more optional) Men B vaccine? If so, any side effects? Are they going to be living in the dorms?

Did they get the more common Meningococcal ACWY vaccine / booster?

I'd rather ask here than in Chat where I'm likely to hear from people who aren't facing / have faced this same age group decision.

[BusyMom5]

Yes, I did.  I think communal living is gross and germy.  If you are also getting the Covid shot, my local HD wanted no vaccines the 4 weeks prior to Covid vax, and you need to wait 2 weeks after the second Covid shot to get another vaccine.   DD has 2 more shots, and a TB test to do this summer.  

Men B (wait 4 weeks)

Covid 1 (wait 3-4 weeks depending on vax)

Covid 2 (wait 2 weeks) 

Any other shots 

[cbollin]

Yes we did. Got the second dose of Bexsero (meningitis B) last fall about 90 days before covid vaccine was available.  I'd have to look up when the other meningitis booster to answer that part of your question.  No notable side effects other than minor ouch at injection site. No one fainted. (been an issue).   No plans for living in dorms soon. One dd could someday live in other group setting.  probably didn't really need it, but meh. 

check with doctors/health care providers on scheduling as the Men B (Bexsero) is a 2 dose, and the other brand is 3 dose sequence.

[Selkie]

Yep, my boys both got the Meningitis B vaccine before going to college, and dd is getting it before she heads to college this fall. None of the doctors’ offices here offer it and actually were pretty clueless about it (scarily enough), but the Walmart pharmacist was very knowledgeable about it and was able to order the vaccine for us.

To answer your other questions - there were no side effects, they live in dorms, and they also got a booster of the more common meningitis vax, IIRC.

 

[catz]

Yes my son got it, my daughter will too.  My son may have had a slight reaction for about 24 hours (slight fever, feeling a little cruddy).  Though I think he was also getting over something when he got his, may not have been related.   He did live in a dorm last year and is in an apartment with 2 roommates this year.  

[NewnameC]

My college kids received it, and, my college grad’s doctor recommended the booster and the B one recently even though she doesn’t live in communal housing.(actually, I don’t if the doctor knows my daughter’s housing situation or not

[prairiewindmomma]

We got an initial no from the dr (not standard), but we sorted that out and it's going to happen. I'm asking for B to happen also. Our insurance company even sent ds a postcard noting that B is recommended.

[UmmIbrahim]

Yep, my ds got the Meningococcal B vaccine a while back (at the start of his gap year because we figured he'd need it for dorm living). No reaction or side effects. I also just made an appointment to get the Meningococcal ACWY for him, because that one is required by his university and he doesn't have it (we also seem to have somehow missed getting that one when he was 12, oops). Been going through the health forms and getting everything squared away with the shot records today. 

Health forms are due June 15, so, eek, running a bit behind. I managed to get in on a cancellation for a June 1 pediatrician appointment, so hopefully that will give them enough time to fill out our form so we can get it in. I think lots of kids in our area have been able to get their covid vaccinations started, and everyone is heading in for doctor's appointments!

[Momto6inIN]

Purdue required it whether they were living in the dorms or not, so both my DS's got it even though they lived at home the first year and in apts with friends after that. I don't know for sure which shot it was, but I'm pretty sure it was the less common Meningitis B one. They did not have any problems other than slightly sore arms.

[RootAnn]

Thanks guys. DD was in for her pediatrician appt, and we figured she'd get her booster for the more common one & the first shot of the Men B, but she wasn't two weeks out post-2nd Covid shot yet. So, we have to go back for that & then wait four weeks for the 2nd shot of Men B. And the wait had me second-guessing that decision.

Appreciate it

[KSera]

Do they allow both at the same time? Just curious. My oldest had the menactra a few years ago. We were thinking they need the meningitis B this Summer, but we’re not sure what can be given at the same time. They haven’t had the HPV one yet and are going to start that as well. 

[RootAnn]

@KSeraThe pediatrician plans to administer her booster for the ACWY & the initial B doses at the same time, preferably in different arms. She'll have to go back for the second Men. B shot later this summer.

[MEmama]

Yes.

DS is going international and I have no idea what the requirements are (if any), but he’s fully vaxxed with everything recommended here. He’s never had any side effects.

Student housing there is apartment style, with individual bedrooms and en suites instead of the communal style dorms like over here, which hopefully helps keep all the sicknesses down. 

[Dmmetler]

My teen got both yesterday, and will need to go back in a few weeks for the Meningitis B booster. It just seems like a good strategy. I was kind of glad to see that COVID is now on the official vaccination form for my state for school (in the recommended section with meningitis, HPV, etc) and that the pediatrician's office could have administered it there if needed. They were able to add my teen's shot record to the full record so, should a copy be needed down the road, it's available even if the card has been long since lost. 

 

 

[lewelma]

Yes.

[Terabith]

This is a vaccine you really, really, REALLY want.  Meningitis is not all that uncommon and kills very fast.  

[lewelma]

21 hours ago, Terabith said:

This is a vaccine you really, really, REALLY want.  Meningitis is not all that uncommon and kills very fast.  

When NZ had an outbreak about 15 years ago, we had an American scientist who came here to study the outbreak. She got it and lost 3 limbs. They never named which 3 limbs. 😞  

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/scientist-loses-limbs-to-meningococcal-disease/WOXLTD3UUVTDBSIO63OTWLSALU/

Edited May 23, 2021 by lewelma

[RootAnn]

My DD#2 got her booster ACWY & the initial B dose today. She'll go back later this summer for her booster B.

Thanks, all.

[Alice]

Late to post...but just adding you don’t have to wait after or before Covid shots anymore. Some people are still choosing to but it’s not a requirement which is nice for scheduling. 

[RootAnn]

@AliceI know the recommendation changed but the requirements vary by physician & area. Here, you still can't do any other vax within 2 weeks of the covid one. The health depts won't give you the covid shot if you've had another vax with 14 days & our pediatrician isn't giving other vaccines if you've had the Covid one less than two weeks before.

Just saying that it still varies.

[UmmIbrahim]

On 5/29/2021 at 9:11 AM, RootAnn said:

@AliceI know the recommendation changed but the requirements vary by physician & area. Here, you still can't do any other vax within 2 weeks of the covid one. The health depts won't give you the covid shot if you've had another vax with 14 days & our pediatrician isn't giving other vaccines if you've had the Covid one less than two weeks before.

Just saying that it still varies.

Yep. My youngest son listened to the entire ACIP meeting that occurred right before the vaccine was approved for 12-15 year olds (he was HIGHLY motivated to hear what was going on and eager to sign up!). They mentioned that the initial 2 week buffer period around COVID vaccination was suggested out of an abundance of caution, not because of a particular known complication. That said, the committee was well aware that removing that waiting period would take time to trickle down "through the ranks" so to speak. Many pediatricians were eager to remove the wait so that it would be easier to catch kids up on vaccinations missed during the pandemic as well as getting them their COVID vaccines, but I think it will be a long time before all of the end users adjust to that change.

They have to change all of the intake forms, retrain the screeners, etc. Once something is out there, it's tough to take it back or make a change!

[The Governess]

Mine got her first dose of the B vaccine this week. She was a bit woozy after for about 15 minutes and then felt fine. Her arm was sore for a few days. Four days afterward, she had a few small red blotches on her face and back. It looked like she was reacting to something but they didn’t itch. Not sure if it was related or not, but I will mention it to her doctor. She is supposed to go back in six months for her second dose.

Edited May 30, 2021 by lovelearnandlive

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Two of my kids didn't get it, because our medical providers couldn't offer it. I definitely wanted it for them, because one lived in close quarters and the other was in a state with recent outbreaks. 

Third is headed to college in the fall and his provider ordered it with no drama. I'm not sure if that's because we have moved or because the vaccine is more available or if there is more awareness of the prudence of having this vaccine. 

[UmmIbrahim]

Just a quick follow up: ds got his meningitis B booster (the second one) as well as the Meningitis ACWY shot two days ago. No side effects other than a slightly sore arm (he says the soreness is less than the post-covid vax soreness). He got all of his university medical forms submitted, so we are good to go before the deadline, yay!