Student Health Update (Parents)

Dear Parents,

The message below, which includes important student health updates at UVA, was delivered earlier today to your student. We are sharing it with you here for your awareness.

Thank you – and please let us know if you have any questions.

Chris Holstege M.D.
Senior Associate Vice President for Student Health and Wellness

Dear Students,

Following our previous email about the meningococcal disease case at UVA, we are providing updated information.

Meningococcal disease is caused by several strains or serogroups. We have received testing results, and the confirmed serogroup in this case was Serogroup B.

The immediate public health response to any case of meningococcal disease, regardless of serogroup, is to treat all close contacts with post-exposure preventative antibiotics. In partnership with the local health department, all close contacts have been identified and treated appropriately, and no additional cases have been identified.

UVA is not experiencing an outbreak of meningococcal disease. As such, vaccination recommendations for students and the community are no different than under usual circumstances.

Meningococcal Vaccination Recommendations:

• The Meningococcal B vaccine (MenB) is routinely recommended for people at increased risk for serogroup B meningococcal disease. MenB may also be administered to people 16-23 years of age who want to be vaccinated based on the risk and benefits of the vaccine. More than 1 dose of the vaccine is needed for best protection. The same brand of vaccine must be used for all doses.
• The Meningococcal A,C,W,Y vaccine (MenACWY) is routinely recommended for people with increased risk for this disease and for first-year college students living in residence halls; these students should receive a dose if they have not had a dose since turning 16 or if it has been more than 5 years since their previous dose.

Vaccination Sites:

• You can receive the meningococcal vaccines at most pharmacies, including UVA Health pharmacies, and the pharmacy in Student Health and Wellness. You can also contact your primary care provider to inquire about availability and to schedule vaccination. For more information on where to get vaccinated locally, visit the Student Health and Wellness website.

Continued Vigilance and Measles Awareness:

We want to take the opportunity to remind you of the ongoing importance of general health vigilance. Please be aware of the symptoms of meningococcal disease as previously outlined and seek medical attention if you experience any of them.

Furthermore, given recent measles outbreaks across the United States, we strongly encourage you to verify your measles vaccination status. Measles is highly contagious, and ensuring you are fully vaccinated is essential for your protection and the protection of our community. Please review your vaccination records on HealthyHoos and consult with your healthcare provider if you have any questions or require additional vaccinations. For more information on Measles prevention, visit the Student Health and Wellness website.

We want to assure you that we are working diligently to protect the health and safety of our community. We encourage you to utilize the resources provided in our previous email and to reach out to Student Health and Wellness with any questions or concerns.

Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to maintaining a healthy UVA community.

Sincerely,

Chris Holstege M.D.
Senior Associate Vice President for Student Health and Wellness