SLS 18RS-4452 ORIGINAL
2018 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 123
BY SENATOR BOUDREAUX
SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH. Designates June 11-15, 2018, as Meningitis B Awareness
Week.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To designate June 11-15, 2018, as Meningitis B Awareness Week.
3 WHEREAS, meningococcal disease, more commonly referred to as bacterial
4 meningitis, is any infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis; and
5 WHEREAS, meningococcal disease is uncommon; however, when it strikes, its
6 flu-like symptoms make diagnosis difficult; and
7 WHEREAS, meningococcal disease can cause serious illness such as infection of the
8 lining of the brain and spinal column (meningitis) or blood infections (sepsis); the disease
9 strikes quickly and can lead to severe or permanent disabilities, such as hearing loss, brain
10 damage, seizures, limb amputation, and can even lead to death within 24 to 48 hours; and
11 WHEREAS, although one in ten people are carriers for this bacteria with no signs
12 or symptoms of disease, sometimes Neisseria meningitidis bacteria can cause illness; and
13 WHEREAS, there are different strains of bacterial meningitis, including serogroups
14 A, C, W, Y, and B, and vaccines exist to help provide protection against all the serogroups
15 commonly seen in the United States; and
16 WHEREAS, the single best way to help prevent all common strains of
17 meningococcal disease is to be vaccinated with both a MenACWY vaccine and a separate
18 MenB vaccine; and
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SLS 18RS-4452 ORIGINAL
1 WHEREAS, Meningococcal disease is spread from person to person via the
2 exchange of the bacteria through respiratory and throat secretions during close or lengthy
3 contact, such as sharing beverages or eating utensils, kissing, or spending time in close
4 contact with someone who is sick or who carries the bacteria; and
5 WHEREAS, community settings in which large groups of people gather, like college
6 campuses, can increase the risk of the spread of meningococcal disease; and
7 WHEREAS, because of the way meningitis is spread, through close personal contact,
8 and that the social behavior of young adults ages 17-22 increases their risk of contracting the
9 disease, students in dormitory settings and crowded events are particularly vulnerable to
10 meningococcal disease; and
11 WHEREAS, while vaccines for serogroups A, C, W, and Y have been available for
12 many years, prior to 2014, there were no vaccines available for serogroup B; and
13 WHEREAS, despite the existence of a serogroup B vaccine, there have been several
14 recent outbreaks of serogroup B meningococcal disease on college campuses throughout the
15 United States, with some cases resulting in death; and
16 WHEREAS, because the B strain of meningitis requires a new, separate vaccination,
17 students heading to college may mistakenly think that if they received the A, C, W, and Y
18 vaccine that they are protected against all strains and may not realize they are not protected
19 against the B strain; and
20 WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control, Neisseria meningitidis
21 serogroup B accounts for approximately half of all meningococcal cases among persons aged
22 17-22 years in the United States; and
23 WHEREAS, vaccination for serogroups A, C, W and Y is routinely recommended
24 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and
25 WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee
26 on Immunization Practices recommends that decisions to vaccinate adolescents and young
27 adults 16 through 23 years of age against serogroup B meningococcal disease should be
28 made at the individual level with healthcare providers; and
29 WHEREAS, R.S. 17:170 requires each person entering any school in Louisiana for
30 the first time and each child entering the sixth grade to be vaccinated against certain
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SLS 18RS-4452 ORIGINAL
1 vaccine-preventable diseases including meningococcal disease (serogroups A, C, W, and Y);
2 and
3 WHEREAS, R.S. 17:170.2 requires each school board to provide information to
4 parents and students relative to the risks associated with meningococcal disease and the
5 availability, effectiveness, and known contraindications of immunization against the disease;
6 and
7 WHEREAS, since 2006, R.S. 17:170.1 has required persons in Louisiana to provide
8 satisfactory evidence of current immunization against meningococcal disease (serogroups
9 A, C, W, and Y) as a condition of registration in courses at a public or nonpublic
10 postsecondary education institution and requires those institutions to provide detailed
11 information on the risks associated with the disease; and
12 WHEREAS, meningitis vaccines are covered by public and private insurance plans,
13 and individuals are encouraged to contact their health insurance provider to determine
14 coverage of MenACWY and MenB vaccines; and
15 WHEREAS, students, parents, educators, and healthcare providers need to know
16 about all strains of meningitis and how to protect against them; and
17 WHEREAS, June is a time when students are preparing to go to college and can
18 discuss how to become fully vaccinated with their healthcare provider.
19 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
20 designate June 11-15, 2018 as Meningitis B Awareness Week.
21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted
22 to the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jerry J. Guillot.
DIGEST
SCR 123 Original 2018 Regular Session Boudreaux
Designates June 11-15, 2018, as Meningitis B Awareness Week.
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