How to protect yourself from disease outbreaks on college campuses
College campuses are increasingly coping with outbreaks of measles and mumps, two viruses for which children are commonly vaccinated. In the case of measles, outbreaks have occurred because of people who went unvaccinated, and in the case of mumps, the vaccination has not provided long-term protection, says Jana Shaw, MD, left, a pediatrician at Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital who specializes in infectious diseases. She explains that meningococcal disease is also sometimes a concern on campuses, where close quarters and frequent contact with many people may ease the spread of disease. Shaw discusses what students and staff can do to protect themselves -- and reminds them to get a flu vaccine.