Gay men pressed to vaccinate in wake of 3 meningitis deaths

Three gay California men who died from meningitis are now serving as a warning to others in the homosexual community: Hurry and get vaccinated.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health started giving out free vaccinations for anyone without health insurance this week, recommending that all gay and bisexual men take advantage, The Los Angeles Times reported.

The agency found eight cases of the disease in the last three months — four of which came from gay men. The three who died were ages 27 and 28, and hailed from the West Hollywood and North Hollywood areas, The Los Angeles Times reported.

“I think the important thing to understand is this is not an epidemic,” Robert Bolan, a doctor and medical director at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, told The Los Angeles Times. “But there’s a pretty strong signal that men who have sex with men, at least those who are HIV positive, are at increased risk for invasive meningococcal disease.”