UNVIERSITY PARK, Pa. – To protect the health of our students and the campus community, Penn State requires all students living in University housing have the meningococcal vaccine that protects against infections caused by serogroups A, C, W and Y. All incoming students are required to be immunized against measles, mumps and rubella.
In addition, it is strongly recommend students receive the following vaccines: serogroup B meningococcal, varicella (chicken pox), pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap), hepatitis B, hepatitis A, human papillomavirus (HPV) and pneumococcal.
Starting fall 2016, students in these groups are expected to have the required vaccines and to submit their immunization records using MyUHS. This new three-step process and the required documentation is described in detail on the University Health Services website.
As part of this new process, students who do not meet the vaccine requirement or do not submit their immunization records will be unable to register for classes for the following semester. The registration hold will be removed once residents comply with the requirements.
This requirement is in accordance with Pennsylvania State Law under The College and University Student Vaccination Act and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Students may schedule an immunization appointment with University Health Services at University Park, the health center on their campus or a health care provider in their local community, if they need to be vaccinated.
Immunizations offer safe and effective protection from vaccine-preventable diseases. Meningococcal disease is a bacterial infection caused by Neisseria meningitides. These infections include meningitis or bacteremia. Meningococcal disease peaks among adolescents and young adults age 16 through 21 years. First-year college students living in residence halls are at higher risk for meningococcal disease than other students. For the safety of our campus community, students who do not provide evidence of immunity may be removed from campus during a communicable disease outbreak.
Further guidance on immunization requirements, waiver forms and submission instructions can be found on the University Health Services website, http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health/immunizations/. Email [email protected] with questions about these requirements.
