School Nurse Association Campaigns To Prevent Meningitis

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)—The National Association of School Nurses has created Voices of Meningitis as a national educational campaign for parents and young people about how to prevent the rare, but deadly disease.

Officially known as meningococcal meningitis, the bacterial infection is difficult to recognize especially in its early stages, because it mimics common viral diseases according to Linda Davis-Alldritt, president of the National Association of School Nurses and a state school nurse consultant here in California.

KCBS' Melissa Culross Reports:

Davis-Alldritt added that teens and pre-teens are most at-risk for the disease.

"We've provided information to school nurses around the country so that they can go into their communities and share this information so they can be spokes[people]," she said.

A Facebook page and website— Voices of Meningitis—has more information.

The school nurse said that 11-year-olds should get the meningitis vaccine which is available and that the Centers for Disease Control recommends.

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