SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Several hundred San Diego State students stood in line for hours Thursday to get preventative antibiotics against bacterial Meningitis.
A freshman who recently went through sorority rush is hospitalized after contracting the potentially deadly disease.
A long line wrapped around the Student Health Services Building with students waiting to get the free, single dose antibiotic.
Bailey Stillwell is especially worried because she also went through the sorority rush process. “At first, I felt really, really awful for her, coming into a brand new place, a new school, nobody wants to be sick like that, let alone in the hospital their first few weeks of college,” said Stillwell.
An update on the student’s condition hasn’t been released, but students say they’ve been sanitizing their dorms.
“As soon as I heard, I went back to my dorms and got Lysol wipes because obviously it’s a very contagious disease so we’re just wiping everything down and trying to figure out where she’s been and what floor,” said Stillwell.
Students participating in sorority rush are strongly advised to get the antibiotic. “In rush, you’re shaking everybody’s hands and hugging people and talking to people really close and so when I heard that, I rushed, so I was like kind of freaked out too,” said Stillwell.
Doctors say even students who have been vaccinated against Meningitis should still get the antibiotic because the vaccine doesn’t cover all strains.
Symptoms are similar to the flu and can progress quickly. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to recovery. The antibiotics will be available to students Friday from 10 am until 4 pm.
