I want to help prevent Meningitis B cases on my campus. How do I get started?
We talked to per health educators and students across the country to learn what educational tactics they’ve had success with in the past. This is what we heard:
Understand vaccine consent laws in your state. Some students on campus may be too young to consent to vaccines without parental consent. Take a moment to first understand the laws in your state.
Talk to your college’s administrators. Does your school require or at least recommend the MenB vaccine? Do they mention anywhere that two different meningitis vaccines exist? Talk to your administrators about the importance of Meningitis B awareness and prevention on campus. Here’s an email to get you started.
Partner with your student health center. Ask if they would be interested in supporting a Meningitis B education campaign for students. (Bonus: you can also ask if you can leave a few posters and educational materials in the waiting room!)
Set up a MenB vaccination clinic on campus. Work with your student health center to explore hosting a Meningitis B vaccine clinic on campus.
Make getting vaxxed cool. TikTok, Instagram…. have fun with it, and make sure to tag us so we can help too!
Use a variety of platforms to spread the word. Whether you are promoting a vaccination clinic or just spreading MenB education, using a variety of platforms and materials will make sure that fellow students see your message. Think email blasts, hanging posters in bathrooms (stall stories!) and other public areas on campus, social media or writing a piece for the local paper.
Keep it simple. Keep messages short and simple. We have messages, materials and even a presentation to get you started.
Keep it positive. Materials and messages that are positive and inclusive empower students to want to learn more, and tend to be better received than scare tactics.
Team up with others on campus. Collaborate with your Resident Advisor to share your message at an upcoming dorm meeting or set up a table (and give out goodies) at welcome week or before a sporting event. It can make a great project for public health, nursing and medicine students too!
Invite an expert to speak. The Meningitis B Action Project can help support you. Reach out to our team for additional information about coming to campus to speak. You can reach us at info@meningitisbactionproject.org.