Congratulations on getting both of the meningitis vaccines and deciding to get the COVID vaccine, as both are super! For starters, the meningococcal vaccine helps protect teens against meningococcal bacteria which can cause serious infections such as meningitis (pronounced men-in-ji-tis), a brain fluid infection, as well as as blood stream infections. Meningitis can spread easily in areas of communal living (i.e., dorm rooms, military barracks, etc.).

The COVID vaccine helps protect against the coronavirus (aka COVID-19) a highly contagious respiratory illness. There are three vaccines available, the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine requires two shots, given at least 21 days apart and is available for teens over the age of 16 years old. The Moderna vaccine also requires two shots, but given 28 days apart, and is available for teens over the age of 18 years old. The Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine is only one shot and is available for teens over the age of 18 years old. Since the vaccines are new, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is recommending that you wait 14 days before and after each shot before receiving any other vaccines, such as the meningitis vaccine. As always, we recommend that teens speak with their health care provider (HCP) before scheduling any vaccine appointments.