Kentucky Revised Statutes Title XIII. Education § 164.2865.Legislative findings and declarations relating to meningococcal meningitis disease

(1) Meningococcal meningitis disease is a potentially fatal infectious and contagious bacterial disease that can be spread by coughing and sharing drinking glasses;

(2) Since the disease often presents itself with flu-like symptoms, many victims of the disease die before it is even diagnosed. From 1991 to 1997, the cases of meningococcal meningitis disease in young adults fifteen (15) to twenty-four (24) years of age nearly doubled;

(3) Survivors of meningococcal meningitis disease may have severe after-effects of the disease, including an intellectual disability, hearing loss, and loss of limbs;

(4) College freshmen residing on campus in dormitories or residence halls have a risk of meningococcal meningitis disease over seven (7) times higher than do college students overall;

(5) The meningococcal meningitis disease vaccine has been shown to be eighty-five percent (85%) to ninety percent (90%) effective in producing antibodies against the most common strains of the disease; and

(6) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that college freshmen and their parents be educated about meningococcal meningitis disease and that vaccination should be made easily available to freshmen and undergraduate students who want to reduce their risk of disease.