School Meningitis Vaccine Requirement Added To Senate Budget
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) – A proposal which would require children in Florida to be vaccinated for meningitis before they can enter the 7th grade has been added to the state Senate's budget proposal.
Florida already has additional vaccination requirements for public school students, including requiring vaccines for polio and measles.
If approved, students would be required to get a meningitis vaccine before they enter school this coming fall.
Meningitis is an inflammation of membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. Some forms can cause brain damage and hearing loss according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The vaccination requirements can be waived for religious or medical reasons, but not for personal or philosophical opposition, according to guidelines from the Department of Health.
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