Wellington-Dufferin- Guelph Public Health is offering Meningitis C vaccine clinics in high schools and to grade 7 students.

The clinics will be held during February for high school students, and will start in March for Grade 7 students. Information will be sent home with students.

Grade 9 students will be the focus of the high school clinics. However, anyone attending high school is eligible. Students who have been previously immunized do not need to be re-vaccinated.

"The best way to protect yourself from Meningitis C is to have the vaccine. Also, minimize the spread of the disease by not sharing cigarettes, water bottles and lip balm," said Susan Otten, program manager of the vaccine preventable disease team.

Meningitis C can cause swelling of the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord. In rare cases, the bacteria overcomes the body's natural defenses resulting in serious illness that can be fatal.

About 10 to 15 per cent of those who develop the disease will die. In addition, about 20 per cent of those who recover will have longterm complications such as hearing loss, kidney problems, brain damage, and amputation of one or more limbs.

For clinic dates and more information about meningitis C and the vaccine, call We l l i n g t o n - D u ff e r i n - Guelph Public Health at 1- 800-265-7293 or visit www. wdghu.org