Preventing a meningitis outbreak

Meningitis infections are considered medical emergencies because many are life threatening. Dr. Tom Clark, who heads meningitis prevention and surveillance at the Centers for Disease Control, was on campus at Princeton University last week when university officials started administering a vaccine for meningitis b that’s not normally available in the US. This hour on Focus, host Jim Meadows talks with him about the disease and why 8 confirmed cases of the disease prompted officials had to bring a non-FDA approved vaccine to the states.

During this hour on Focus, Brandon Meline of the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District also joins the show. A new Illinois law will make meningitis vaccination mandatory for 6th and 12th grade students starting January 1st of next year.