Free Meningitis Vaccines Offered At Pride Fest

CHICAGO (CBS) -- As Chicago gears for the Pride Parade, celebrations come with concerns about a health alert in the gay community.

CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli reports Pride Fest was underway and there were lots of people out having fun, but federal and city officials were also at the festival because they're mobilized to stop the spread of an outbreak of meningitis in its tracks.

There have been six confirmed cases in the area and the disease claimed the life of one man. It is preventable with a simple vaccine.

On Saturday the shot was offered at three locations around the city but demand was so great that they actually ran out of the vaccine at the Center on Halsted. Health experts are pleased that the word of the threat has gotten out.

"Men who have sex with men, people who are HIV positive, African-American men who have sex with men, they're our focus and we want to make sure that they get a vaccine if they haven't had one in the past five years," said Illinois HIV Hotline Director Jill Dispenza.

The vaccine lasts for five years. The Center on Halsted will be giving out the vaccines again on Sunday.

There are a lot of places offering this vaccine free right now.

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• Mike Puccinelli