Immunization Policy

Immunization Policy

University Immunization Policy

Policy Title:	Immunization Policy
Policy Category*:	Safety and Security
Policy Owner:	Student Life
Initial Policy Approved:	2/8/2019
Current Revision Approved:	2/8/2019
Scheduled Revision Date:	Annual Review and Vaccination, Screening Requirements, and Recommendations are adopted from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Immunization & Screening Recommendations for college students. Any revisions of the CDPH recommendations for colleges and universities as of February 1, each year will be reflected in University of the Pacific requirements the subsequent fall academic term.
Last Updated:	02/01/2019
Policy Scope:	University-Wide, all three campuses
Related Policies:	Immunization medical exemption policy
Related Forms:	University Immunization Medical Exemption Form

Purpose/Background

This Policy mitigates the risk of our students contracting vaccine-preventable illnesses that could be acquired at any of our three University campuses. To this end, the University has implemented a collaborative plan that will ultimately require incoming undergraduate, graduate, and professional students to provide proof of vaccination and/or immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases, and undergo screening for tuberculosis.

Applicability

This policy requires all matriculating incoming undergraduate, graduate and professional students, studying on any of Pacific's three campuses to meet the immunization requirement by the first day of the first term at the University.

Responsibility

Contact	Responsible Items
Student Health Services (SHS)	Oversight of the development, implementation, and enforcement of this policy that includes placing and removing academic holds. SHS operates under the oversight of the Vice President of Student Life.
Office of Admissions for all three campuses	Communicating the pre-enrollment immunization requirements to students as part of the student acceptance packets and admissions website.
Associate Dean of Students	Reviews and resolves alleged violations of the Student Code of Conduct and University Policies related to falsification of immunization records and student non-compliance.
Academic Deans and Program Directors/ Coordinators	Disseminates immunization requirement communications to all new incoming students in their programs.

Definitions

Term	Definition
Incoming Students	All matriculating (degree seeking) incoming undergraduate and professional students, studying on any of Pacific's three campuses for a period of one academic quarter/semester or longer.
Health Profession Academic Programs	Athletic Training, Audiology, Clinical Nutrition, Dental Hygiene, Dentistry, Music Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, Social Work
Distant Learning Programs	Online educational programs (students are not physically present on campus)
In Progress	Students have been in contact with student health services via medical portal, email, or in person and are in process of completing the requirement.

Policy Statement

Incoming students are required to obtain and submit proof of immunity from the following diseases and complete a Tuberculosis (TB) screening questionnaire via go.pacific.edu/myhealth prior to the first day of their first term at the University. 

Minimum Vaccination Requirements	Required Dosage Information
Measles, Mumps and Rubella(MMR)	Two doses with first dose on or after 1st birthday; OR Positive titer (laboratory evidence of immunity to disease) Students born after 1956
Varicella (Chickenpox)	Two doses with first dose on or after 1st birthday; OR Positive titer (History if disease not acceptable) All students born after 1979
Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (Tdap)	One dose after age 10
Meningococcal conjugate(Serogroups A, C, Y, & W‐135)	One dose on or after age 16 for all students who are under 22 years of age.
Screening: Tuberculosis (TB)	All incoming non-health profession students must complete a TB screening risk questionnaire. Students at higher risk for TB infection, as indicated by answering "yes" to any of the screening questions, should undergo either a Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) or blood testing (QFGT) for TB infection within 6 months prior to the first day of their first term at the University. Students with a history of positive TST, Blood Test (QFGT) or disease must also provide a chest x-ray report that has been completed within 6 months prior to the first day of their first term at the University. * Higher risk include travel to or living in South & Central America, Africa, Asia, EasternEurope, and the Middle East; prior positive TB test; or exposure to someone with active TB disease.

NOTE: Health Profession students are REQUIRED to complete ADDITIONAL immunization requirements and undergo Tuberculosis (TB) testing:
Additional Vaccination Requirements	Required Dosage Information
Hepatitis B antibody (blood test)	Positive Hepatitis B surface antibody Restart series for negative antibody result (submit documentation of previous vaccinations recieved) Pharmacy/Physician Assistant Students: Quantitative Hepatitis B Surface Antibody results documenting a positive immunity
Influenza vaccine	Current Season/Annually
Tetanus, Diphtheria, Acellular Pertussis (Tdap)	One documented dose after age 10 Tetanus booster every 10 years Physician Assistant Students: Tdap within 3 years of matriculation
Tuberculosis Skin Testing (TST): No history of positive TST or disease 2-step TST screening within 3 months prior to matriculation or QFGT History of positive TST, Blood Test or disease Chest X-ray within 6 months prior to the first day of their first term at the University.	Documentation of previous BCG vaccination, Latent TB treatment or Active TB treatment, as applicable (Required for clinical rotation placements). Student with a positive TST, Blood Test or history of disease will need to complete the tuberculosis symptom review annually.

Recommended Vaccinations	Recommended Groups
Hepatitis A vaccine (Hep A)	All students regardless of age
Human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV)	For men and women through age 26 years
Influenza vaccine (Flu)	Annually: all students regardless of age
Meningococcal B (Meningitis B)	Students ages 16 - 23 who elect vaccination after discussion with their healthcare provider.
Meningococcal conjugate (Meningitis)	Students up to age 23
Pneumococcal vaccine	For students with certain medical conditions (e.g. severe asthma, diabetes, chronic liver or kidney disease)
Polio virus vaccine (Polio)	Regardless of age, if the series was not completed as a child
Vaccines for international travel	Based on destination

Deadline

Students must meet requirements by first day of their term. Specific Health Profession Programs may have specified deadline dates to prepare student for clinical rotation fulfillment.

Sanctions for Violations of this Policy

Students that do not meet the requirement by the first day of their first term will have a registration hold placed on the first business day following the add/drop deadline of that term. Hold will be removed when student is compliant with the immunization policy. Falsification of medical records or answering the tuberculosis-screening questionnaire dishonestly will result in a student code of conduct investigation that may result in consequences up to expulsion. Health Profession students will be removed from clinicals if requirements are not met. 

Extensions

Extensions are granted on a case-by-case basis (e.g. late admits, vaccines in progress, etc.) by Student Health Services in consultation with the student's respective academic program dean, coordinator, director, or designee.