What happens to unvaxed children when they go to college?

[J2]

What happens to unvaxed children when they go to college? Do they then have to go through a huge round of shots?

[member234098]

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Edited by member234098 - 5/23/12 at 6:49pm

[JamieCatheryn]

I was never even asked for vaccine papers when I went to college (enrolled 2003-2009) I was only fully vaxxed up to age 8 though they didn't require as many back then, but the school never needed proof. The same exemption forms and letters that work for gradeschool should work in lieu of vax records for college too, if they do collect them.

[Super~Single~Mama]

Originally Posted by JamieCatheryn 

I was never even asked for vaccine papers when I went to college (enrolled 2003-2009) I was only fully vaxxed up to age 8 though they didn't require as many back then, but the school never needed proof. The same exemption forms and letters that work for gradeschool should work in lieu of vax records for college too, if they do collect them.

Yeah, me too. I graduated in 2007, but was never required to submit any vax record. I'm fully up-to-date on everything, but just wasn't asked for the information.

[AbbyGrant]

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Edited by AbbyGrant - 6/28/12 at 9:29pm

[emmy526]

My dd claimed religious...

[J2]

Original poster here.   We have a religious exemption. My kids are 3 and 6. I just got the exemption from the health dept this week b/c my daughter is going to be in preschool 2 days a week. My 6 year old is homeschooled. The health department told me it is only good until they turn 18 and then after that they have to get shots for college, etc. That is why I was wondering about college and shot status in the future. I don't recall my college that I attended in 2000-2004 needing my vax info come to think of it.

[WindyCityMom]

I was recently enrolled in community college and only needed vax proof because I was doing clinical hours in a hospital and needed immunity for MMR.  They just had me get my titers checked.

[USAmma]

Originally Posted by WindyCityMom 

I was recently enrolled in community college and only needed vax proof because I was doing clinical hours in a hospital and needed immunity for MMR.  They just had me get my titers checked.

Having just graduated from nursing school last year, I can tell you that in the health profession they do require proof of immunity for a variety of things before you are allowed to step foot in a hospital. It may vary with different institutions. I had one classmate who had not vaxed and didn't vax her kids. She was found not to be immune to a couple of things and had to get the vaccines before she was allowed to continue with her schooling. They also require it of hospital employees with direct contact to patients (which is pretty much 99% of the employees). Where I work we have a lot of immune compromised kiddos who need to have that "herd immunity" protecting them when they are inpatient. 

[bodhicitta3]

I am unvaxed and graduated in 2000 from high school. No one ever asked or cared. I have multiple degrees and lived in a dorm too.

[crayfishgirl]

Originally Posted by AbbyGrant 

It probably depends on the state and the school. I went to a public university in NC and had to provide immunization records. I just checked, and students still do or they will be withdrawn from classes after 30 days. As with public K-12 schools in this state, the only exemptions are medical and religious. I think the policy is the same at the other public universities in this state.

I think that this might be true, although my situation was a little different.  I moved to the US for graduate school and had to provide vaccination records (I was fully vaxxed...its required for school attendance).  The date for my MMR vaccination wasn't recorded and I had to get it again in order to obtain my student visa/admission.  I believe the reverse is also true (i.e. to attend school in Canada as an international student you are required to be vaccinated.  I don't think there are exemptions, but I'm not 100%).
 

[prosciencemum]

I think it may be the visa rules? I also moved to the US for graduate school, and from recollection it was for the visa I needed to prove my immunization status, not the university. But that was 12 years ago so I may be misremembering.

[Rrrrrachel]

I have been resisting the urge to post "they become unvaxxed college students" for days and I just can't do it anymore.

[AbbyGrant]

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Edited by AbbyGrant - 6/28/12 at 9:29pm

[crayfishgirl]

Originally Posted by prosciencemum 

I think it may be the visa rules? I also moved to the US for graduate school, and from recollection it was for the visa I needed to prove my immunization status, not the university. But that was 12 years ago so I may be misremembering.

That might be true...I don't have a clear recollection either (its been 15 years for me).  I thought I had to submit that info to the Office of International Students, but they may have just needed alll the docs associated with my visa.