Backgrounder: Voices of Meningitis The Charge To help protect against meningococcal meningitis, a disease that can potentially take a life in 24 hours 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends routine vaccination of adolescents aged 11 through 18 years with meningococcal conjugate vaccine (one dose of vaccine should be administered at age 11 or 12 years, with a second vaccination at age 16 years for children who receive the first dose before age 16 years). 2 However, millions of teens are under-vaccinated. 3,4 In fact, according to data published by the CDC, 77.8% of teens 13-17 years of age received the first dose of vaccine, but only 29.6% received the booster dose. 4 The bacterium that causes meningococcal meningitis can be spread through everyday activities such as kissing and sharing utensils and water bottles, and teens are at increased risk for the disease and its devastating consequences. 5,6,7 The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) and Sanofi Pasteur collaborate on the Voices of Meningitis Campaign, now in its seventh year, to raise awareness of meningococcal meningitis and the importance of prevention. In 2015, the Campaign s focus is to help improve vaccination rates by motivating parents to ask their teen s health care provider if their teen has received two doses of meningococcal vaccine, as recommended by the CDC, to help protect against meningococcal meningitis. About Boost the Volume Competition Lucy Hale, actress, singer and star of ABC Family s hit show Pretty Little Liars, has joined Voices of Meningitis as a Campaign ambassador to raise her voice to call attention to the importance of protecting teens against meningococcal meningitis. Hale, in collaboration with the Campaign, will launch a fun, music-themed competition in four select cities: New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Portland. These cities were chosen because there is a need to improve vaccination rates in these communities, making them ideal locations for singing groups to lend their voice and help Voices of Meningitis Boost the Volume! Boost the Volume challenges local high school singing groups to perform an inspirational medley of songs that speaks to the importance of living your best life and serves as a reminder to communities across the country about the importance of protecting against meningococcal meningitis. One finalist will be chosen in each city and will be awarded with the opportunity to perform their medley with Ms. Hale at a concert for their fellow classmates, parents and teachers. As part of the concert, teens who suffered and survived meningitis will address the audience to raise awareness of the devastating consequences of the disease and stress the importance of vaccination. VOICES OF MENINGITIS BOOST THE VOLUME COMPETITION TOOLKIT 7
Of the four finalists, one winning group will be selected to star in a new public service announcement (PSA) featuring Ms. Hale, calling attention to the dangers of meningococcal meningitis and the importance of prevention. The PSA will begin airing across the country in May 2015. Who is behind this year s initiative? This year, NASN and Sanofi Pasteur have joined forces with several partners to bring the importance of meningococcal meningitis vaccination to the national forefront: Lucy Hale: Actress and country singer, Lucy is best known for her role on the hit ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars. Ms. Hale recorded and released her debut studio album Road Between in 2014. Julie Knight: Lucy s mother and a Registered Nurse working in Labor and Delivery for the past 22 years. Julie currently lives and works in Memphis, TN, but has also worked in Los Angeles while Lucy was getting started in her career. Varsity Vocals: An international high school and collegiate a cappella organization that is responsible for the creation and development of the International Championship of High School A Cappella (ICHSA), a program that has helped to instill a passion for a cappella in thousands of high school students. Deke Sharon: Heralded as The Father of Contemporary A Cappella, he is responsible for the current sound of modern a cappella, having created the dense vocal-instrumental sound in college, subsequently spreading it around the world. Deke created and arranged the medley of songs for the Boost the Volume competition. Jaime Schanbaum: An otherwise healthy sophomore studying at the University of Texas, Jamie woke up feeling sick and thought she had the flu. Fourteen hours later she was fighting for her life. Jamie had contracted meningococcal meningitis. Jamie travels around the country sharing her story to educate about the dangers of meningococcal meningitis and the importance of vaccination. About The National Association of School Nurses (NASN): NASN is a non-profit specialty nursing organization, first organized in 1968 and incorporated in 1977, representing school nurses exclusively. NASN has more than 15,000 members and 50 affiliates, including the District of Columbia and overseas school nurses. The NASN mission is to advance school nurse practice to keep students healthy, safe and ready to learn. Please visit us on the Web at www.nasn.org. About Sanofi: Sanofi, an integrated global healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health and the new Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY). Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, provides more than 1 billion doses of vaccine each year, making it possible to immunize more than 500 million people across the globe. A world leader in the vaccine industry, Sanofi Pasteur offers a broad range of vaccines protecting against 20 infectious VOICES OF MENINGITIS BOOST THE VOLUME COMPETITION TOOLKIT 8
diseases. The company's heritage, to create vaccines that protect life, dates back more than a century. Sanofi Pasteur is the largest company entirely dedicated to vaccines. Every day, the company invests more than EUR 1 million in research and development. For more information, please visit: www.sanofipasteur.com or www.sanofipasteur.us. # # # 1. World Health Organization. (2015, February). Meningococcal Meningitis. Retrieved March 5, 2015, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs141/en/. 2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011, October 14). Meningococcal Vaccines: What You Need To Know. Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/mening.pdf. 3. United States Census Bureau. (2013). Age and Sex Composition in the United States. Retrieved March 24, 2015, from census.gov/population/age/data/2012comp.html. 4. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). National, Regional, State, and Selected Local Area Vaccination Coverage Among Adolescents Aged 13 17 Years United States. Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6329a4.htm?s_cid=mm6329a4_w. 5. Stephens, D.S.; Greenwood, B.; Brandtzaeg, P. (2007). Epidemic Meningitis, Meningococcaemia, and Neisseria Meningitis. Lancet. 369 (9580), 2199. 6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012, March 15). Meningococcal Disease. About: Causes and Transmission. Retrieved May 7, 2013, from http://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/about/causes-transmission.html. 7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014, April 1). Meningococcal Disease Risk Factors. Retrieved March 13, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/about/risk-factors.html. VOICES OF MENINGITIS BOOST THE VOLUME COMPETITION TOOLKIT 9
Backgrounder: What Is Meningococcal Disease? About Meningococcal Disease Meningococcal disease is a rare but serious bacterial infection that includes meningitis, (swelling of the tissues around the brain and spinal cord), bacteremia (a severe blood infection) and pneumonia. The bacteria that cause meningococcal disease are spread through respiratory droplets and direct contact with respiratory secretions. 1 As such, common everyday activities can play a role in disease spread, including kissing, sharing utensils and water bottles, and being in close quarters, such as living in a dormitory. 2,3,4 Signs and Symptoms Meningococcal disease can be difficult to diagnose, especially in its early stages, because symptoms are similar to those of common viral illnesses, such as the flu. 5 More importantly, meningococcal disease is very serious. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports fewer than 1,000 cases occur each year in the U.S. 6 Although rare, meningococcal disease develops rapidly and can claim the life of an otherwise healthy individual in as little as one day after the first symptoms appear. 1 Of those who survive, approximately one in five are left with serious medical problems, including: 7 Amputation of arms, legs, fingers, or toes Neurologic damage Deafness Kidney damage Protection and Prevention To help protect against meningococcal disease, the CDC recommends routine vaccination of adolescents aged 11 through 18 years with the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (a single dose of vaccine should be administered at age 11 or 12 years, with a booster dose at age 16 years for children who receive the first dose before age 16 years). 8 # # # VOICES OF MENINGITIS BOOST THE VOLUME COMPETITION TOOLKIT 10
1. World Health Organization. (2015, February). Meningococcal Meningitis. Retrieved March 5, 2015, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs141/en/. 2. Stephens, D.S.; Greenwood, B.; Brandtzaeg, P. (2007). Epidemic Meningitis, Meningococcaemia, and Neisseria Meningitis. Lancet. 369 (9580), 2199. 3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012, March 15). Meningococcal Disease. About: Causes and Transmission. Retrieved May 7, 2013, from http://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/about/causes-transmission.html. 4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014, April 1). Meningococcal Disease Risk Factors. Retrieved March 13, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/about/risk-factors.html. 5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014, April 21). Help Protect Your Preteen and Teen Against Meningococcal Disease. Retrieved March 3, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/features/meningococcal/. 6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014, April 1). Meningococcal Disease Surveillance. Retrieved March 13, 2015. http://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/surveillance/index.html. 7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013, March 22). Prevention and Control of Meningococcal Disease Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Retrieved March 13, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/. 8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011, October 14). Meningococcal Vaccines: What You Need To Know. Retrieved March 24, 2014 from, http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/mening.pdf. VOICES OF MENINGITIS BOOST THE VOLUME COMPETITION TOOLKIT 11