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Dallas County Health Department Update on Measles (PDF) - Added 04/08/11
Meningococcal Vaccine for College Students
In response to outbreaks of meningitis at Texas universities, which resulted in the death or near-death of students, the Texas Legislature recently passed SB 1107 which requires college students to provide proof of vaccination against bacterial meningitis within the past 5 years. This law expands on a previous law which required only those students living on-campus to receive the vaccine. According to SB 1107, new college students, transfer students, and students returning to college after taking a semester break must provide documentation of the vaccine 10 days before classes begin. The law does not apply to students only enrolled in online or other distance education courses, or for those students who are 30 years old or older.
Meningococcal meningitis, a form of meningococcal disease, is a serious bacterial infection. Unlike viral meningitis, it can potentially kill or disable an otherwise healthy young person within 1 day after the first symptoms appear. Even people who are usually healthy can get meningitis. However, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have shown that the risk of getting meningitis increases in teens and young adults. For more information visit www.voicesofmeningitis.com.
Students currently in grades 7-9 are required to receive vaccination against this form of bacterial meningitis in order to attend school, but this requirement does not include current 10th-12th graders. Also, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recently updated their recommendations to include a booster dose of the vaccine for 16 – 18 year olds who received the vaccine between 11 and 15 years of age, since studies have shown that protective immunity to the disease declines after a 5 year period. This decline in protection is what led to SB 1107 requiring documentation of the vaccine within the past 5 years for students entering college.
Immunization Requirements
In March 2009, the state of Texas approved new immunization requirements for school enrollment. Beginning in the 09-10 school year, additional immunizations for kindergarten and 7th grade students were required. Some changes involve only an additional dose of a previously required vaccine; others are vaccines that were not previously required. The immunization requirement changes approved in 2009 will be phased in over the next several years, adding grade levels each year. Information regarding the newly required vaccines and a list of current school requirements can be found by clicking here.
New Metered Dose Inhalers
In January1996 the United States banned chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in consumer aerosols and eliminated the manufacture of CFCs in the U.S. in an effort to help protect the earth’s ozone layer. One of the last products to have CFC’s removed were asthma inhalers. As of January 2009, the old inhalers using CFC’s are no longer available in the U.S. The new inhalers contain HFA (hydroflouroalkane) and are more environmentally friendly. Since the CFC was removed, asthma patients will notice at least four critical differences in the new HFA inhalers.
- HFA inhalers must be pumped a certain number of times to prime them – this was not so critical with the more forgiving CFC inhalers, and each brand of the newer inhaler requires a different frequency of priming.
- HFA inhalers have a weaker spray. Older CFC inhalers delivered a more powerful spray; the newer ones provide a warm, soft mist that also has a distinct taste.
- HFA inhalers require a slower inhale. Remember to wait the necessary 30 seconds between puffs.
- HFA inhalers need to be washed with warm water and air dried once a week. The medication is stickier and will clog the hole, reducing the amount of medication the spray delivers. Please note: floating an inhaler to determine if the canister is full is not recommended and may ruin the new inhalers.
There are no less than 10 new inhalers now on the market for asthma relief or control. It is important to ask your health care provider to review the administration and cleaning procedures for these new inhalers as each one is different. Read the directions and inserts and follow the recommendations carefully.
The new inhalers require priming (spraying into the air) depending on frequency of use. Each inhaler has its own priming instructions. Remember that priming will reduce the number of doses for each inhaler. Fortunately there are some inhalers with a counter on the side to help you keep track of the remaining doses in your inhaler.
For more information click on the links below:
HFA Inhaler Information: healthcentral.com
Tips for Priming and Cleaning HFA Inhalers: aanma.org
How to use an Inhaler: aanma.org
Automated External Difibrillators (AEDS)
Currently, RISD has AEDs in all elementary, junior high, and high schools, as well as administrative offices. Several employees at each campus are certified in CPR/AED.
An AED is a small, portable device that analyzes the heart's rhythm and prompts the user to deliver a defibrillation shock if it determines one is needed. Once turned on, the AED guides the user through each step of the defibrillation process by providing voice and/or visual prompts.
AEDs are specially designed for easy use by a "first responder", who would be the first person to typically arrive on the scene of a medical emergency. A first responder can be an emergency medical services worker, a firefighter or police officer, or it can be a layperson with minimal AED training.
Time to defibrillation, the most critical factor in sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) survival, can be reduced if an AED is "on-site" and can be brought to the victim quickly. This is one of the reasons that survival rates improve in communities with active AED programs. The goal is to improve SCA survival rates, and on-site AEDs can make the difference.
Bacterial Meningitis
In 2001, the Texas Legislature passed SB 31, which requires that a school district provide information relating to bacterial meningitis to all students and their parents each school year. The following documents on bacterial meningitis are for your information only and do not indicate an outbreak in our area.
English Version (PDF)
Spanish Version (PDF)
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) governs the privacy of protected health information. Information regarding a student’s immunizations, health information, diagnosis, and medical treatments will not be released by your health care provider to your school nurse, who will require this information to meet district and state regulations. The responsibility will fall on our parents to obtain this information directly from their health care provider and bring it to their school nurse.
Your cooperation in expediently providing any health information that is requested by the school nurse will be greatly appreciated.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records, which also includes student health information such as immunizations and state-mandated screening results.
FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are "eligible students."
Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student's education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions:
- School officials with legitimate educational interest;
- Other schools to which a student is transferring;
- Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
- Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
- Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
- Accrediting organizations;
- To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
- Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
- State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.
For more information visit: www2.ed.gov |
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