Starting this year Indiana state required seniors to have a second meningitis shot. An exclusion date was set for Thursday, Oct. 23 so that seniors without the shot would have to miss class until they provided proper documentation. Senior Deja Trotter is glad to have this new.

“It hasn’t really affected me, but I know about the meningitis and I feel like it should be required now before we graduate,” Trotter said. “I feel like [students] should be up to date on their shots and be educated on why we need those shots.”

Letters were sent out in February to the students and parents informing them of this new regulation. Another one was sent as a reminder the week before fall break. Nurse Valorie Gelwicks understands that sometimes students can forget and was not surprised to see the falter in attendance, but believes that it is important that students do get the shot.

“They were finding out the first meningitis shot wasn’t lasting as long as they needed it to last. The most critical years are the first couple of years right after you get out of high school like college or the military,” Gelwicks said.

Senior Demyiah Forney believes it is important that students get their shots, but doesn’t think that it is fair to let it affect their education and not allow them back into school.

“I don’t think it is fair that they don’t let people come to school if they don’t have the shot because if it is not contagious to others then they should be able to come to school because it’s missing out on their education,” Forney said.

Senior Nigel Anderson says he understands how students like Forney feel, but generally believes that although they might not like the new regulation he is glad to have it in to keep other students and the general community healthier.

“A lot of people don’t agree with it, but if people don’t get vaccines then they can endanger other people and not just themselves. So when the school requires it, then everyone has to get it and everyone is generally kept safer,” Anderson said.

Trotter, like Anderson, knows that some students will not like the new regulation, but hopes students will learn to understand the importance of this shot, and if nothing else she hopes they will get it over with to just not get sick in general.

“You need it because you will be going out into the real world, and it is easier to catch it because you are going to be around a lot more people. Meningitis is deadly and you can lose your hearing from it. Nobody wants to get sick, so go get your shots,” Trotter said.