A bill requiring Wisconsin universities to share information about Hepatitis B and Meningococcal disease with students living in university housing passed the state Senate Tuesday.
The bill stipulates that entering freshmen who will be staying in school housing must receive vaccinations for Hepatitis B and Meningococcal disease.
However, if a student affirms that they understand the benefits of the vaccinations and the risks of the diseases, they may opt out of receiving either vaccination. The bill also creates a database that records when students who have the vaccinations received the shots.
The bill must still be signed by Gov. Jim Doyle to take effect.
The family of Eddy Bailey is partially responsible for bringing the issue of Meningococcal vaccines to legislators. Bailey died Nov. 12, 2002 while still a junior at UW-Madison after contracting Meningococcal disease.
Judi Rhodes, policy advisor for state Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, stressed that support for the bill is \completely bipartisan in both houses.""
While the vaccinations are not free, most freshmen affected are covered by their parents' medical insurance. All major Health Maintenance Organization's cover it, Rhodes said.
Dr. Scott Spear, director of clinical services at University Health Services pointed out the Meningococcal vaccine only works for about three to four years, and in many cases it does not work at all. For example, one major strain is not affected at all, Spear said.
According to Spear, the Centers for Disease Control do not recommend all college students get vaccinated against Meningococcal disease but more than half of incoming students have already gotten the vaccine.
""This is the least effective and least useful vaccine that we have,"" Spear said.
Spear added that most students receive the Hepatitis B vaccination before they arrive at college. Hepatitis B has a long incubation period and is rarely fatal.
Meningococcal disease can kill in a few days. According to Spear, symptoms include high fever, vomiting, rash, headaches and a stiff neck.
The database established by the bill may be unnecessary, as records of student vaccinations are already kept by UHS said Paul Evans, director of University Housing.
