Vaccines for School: What Do College Students Need?
Posted: Aug 25th, 2022 at 12:00AM
College is a huge milestone in every young adult's life. Schoolwork, a new environment, unfamiliar pressure, and your goals will really put you to the test. In college, you also socialize, meet new people, and have newfound freedom.
Your health should be a top concern during this time. This is because you're in a new environment and exposed to new conditions. Germs and viruses can spread quickly at school since you stay with other students within close quarters. Plus, stress and exhaustion can weaken your immune system. Getting vaccinated will protect you from illness.
In this blog, learn why college students are vulnerable and how they can protect themselves.
Why College Students Get Sick
So, why exactly are colleges a common place of illness?
1. A Hotbed of Germs
At school, you're constantly in contact with surfaces that host a lot of germs. Every time you touch the doorknob, stair rails, classroom chairs, or gym equipment, you come in contact with germs.
In addition, students are sometimes packed into classrooms and dorms, which increases their risk of being sick. You share bathrooms and toilets with other students, which makes it easier to contract bacteria-caused illnesses.
2. Poor Sleep
Adequate sleep is vital for your immune system, and a lack of quality sleep can wreak havoc. Research tells us that this can increase your likelihood of getting sick and also make it harder to recover afterward.
As a student, there's a high chance that you're not getting enough sleep. Tight schedules, socializing with your peers, college nightlife, and your noisy roommate can keep you up until the wee hours of the morning. This, in turn, can leave you sleep-deprived, therefore weakening your immunity.
3. Poor Eating Habits
An apple a day keeps the doctor away. The quality of campus food has increased over the years, but that doesn't mean college students always eat a well-balanced diet. One report says that about 63% of college students aren't eating the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables each day.
A balanced diet nourishes the body so that you're better able to fight off disease.
4. A Lack of Physical Exercise
A lot of college students fail to stay physically active because they’re already stressed out and exhausted. However, regular movement can make your immune system stronger.
What Vaccines Do College Students Need?
A healthy school environment gives you the best learning environment and the chance to grow. One way to ensure that you're in good health while learning is to get vaccinated. Vaccines shield you from illness and ensure contagious diseases don't spread to other students.
e7 Health offers a variety of student services, which include vaccination. Here are a few vaccines we recommend for college students.
1. Meningitis
Meningitis is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation of the meninges/fluid and the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It's a contagious disease that's spread through airborne droplets or contact with an infected person.
Its symptoms are fever, tiredness, chill, rash, headaches, back pain, stiffness, and vomiting. You can get meningitis by:
- Kissing.
- Sharing drinking glasses and eating utensils.
- Smoking.
- Living in close quarters (like dorms).
Meningitis is highly contagious, and adolescents are at a higher risk of getting it. Many states require first-year students in college to get vaccinated against the disease.
2. Influenza
Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness that attacks your respiratory system. This means the nose, throat, and lungs. Influenza is different from the common cold. The flu comes on suddenly, while the common cold develops slowly.
Signs and symptoms of influenza include:
- Fever.
- Sore throat.
- Runny nose.
- Body aches.
- Persistent cough.
- Fatigue.
- Shortness of breath.
The disease is spread when tiny droplets containing the flu virus land in your nose or mouth after a person who is infected coughs, sneezes, or talks.
The best way to prevent the flu is to get the flu shot yearly. The vaccine reduces the chances of flu-related illness and decreases your chances of spreading the disease to other students.
3. TDAP
The TDAP vaccine prevents you from getting tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.
Tetanus is a bacterial disease that enters your body through cuts, burns, or wounds. The virus causes stiffening of the muscles and jaw, making it difficult to eat or breathe and also causing sweating, fever, and a fast heartbeat.
Diphtheria is a contagious bacterial disease that leads to difficulty in breathing, heart failure, and even death. The bacteria are spread to other people through oral or respiratory droplets and close contact with an infected person.
Pertussis (whooping cough) is a contagious respiratory disease that causes breathing problems. The disease is spread through coughing, sneezing, or contact with an infected person.
Teens and adults should receive a booster dose of the vaccine every 10 years, or five years if they have any serious wounds.
4. Hepatitis
There are different kinds of hepatitis:
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a contagious infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus. The virus can be spread by unhygienic food handling or poor water treatment. Another way through which the virus can spread is through close contact with infected people.
Its symptoms include fever, nausea, abdominal pain, jaundice, and dark urine.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus. The disease is spread through contact with an infected person's blood or bodily fluids. Its symptoms are jaundice, fever, nausea, anorexia, abdominal pain, dark urine, headache, and muscle pain. Some people may not show any disease symptoms, making it easy to spread to others.
The best way to prevent hepatitis A and B is through vaccination.
No one can completely avoid getting sick. And catching germs in college is quite common. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't take steps to improve your chances of staying healthy! Getting vaccinated is one of the most effective ways to ensure that you maintain your health on campus. e7 Health provides a variety of vaccines for college students. In addition, we offer discounts on vaccines and titers.
Book your appointment today!
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