Required Immunizations Several immunizations are required by the state of New Jersey and the University for all enrolled students. If you have not received the required vaccines, you can receive them at UHS once you are eligible for services. If a student does not receive a required immunization before arrival and receives a required vaccine at UHS, they will be charged a fee. Vaccination-related Holds If your required vaccination records have not been submitted by the deadline, you may experience future holds in Tigerhub and enrollment processes. It may take up to 72 hours to release a vaccination hold so please do not delay in meeting the vaccination requirement. If you have questions about your ability to receive required vaccinations by the deadline, please email [email protected] to discuss your options. Print a handout (.pdf) of this information to give to your primary care provider. The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination series is available at Sexual Health and Wellness. Hepatitis B Three doses are required for all matriculating students or a blood test showing immunity. All students will be required to have all three doses of the hepatitis B vaccine as outlined in the following schedule. The second dose should be at least 28 days after the first dose and the third dose at least 16 weeks after first dose and at least 8 weeks after the second dose. If there is no time to complete a series before matriculation, an appointment may be made at UHS when the next dose of vaccine is due. Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) Two doses of MMR are required. The first dose is typically administered after the first birthday, and the second is a minimum of four weeks after the first dose. We will also accept a blood test within the last year showing immunity. If there is not time to complete a series before matriculation, an appointment may be made at UHS when the next dose of vaccine is due. Meningococcal Vaccine One dose of Meningococcal vaccine (covering serogroups A,C,Y,W-135) is required after the 16th birthday and within the last 5 years for all undergraduate and graduate students living in campus housing (Graduate student housing is defined as New Graduate College, Old Graduate College, and the Annexes: 11 Dickinson, 15 Dickinson, 16 Dickinson, 24 Dickinson, 35 University Place, 45 University Place, 31 Edwards). In addition, resident graduate students living in residential colleges are subject to the same requirement. We accept Menactra, Menomune, Menveo, MenQuadfi, or Nimenrix. Regardless of living situation, any student under the age of 30 is encouraged to receive vaccination against meningococcal disease(.pdf). See ACIP recommendations. Tetanus-Diphtheria-Pertussis (Tdap) A single Tdap (tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, reduced acellular pertussis) immunization is required for individuals who have completed the recommended childhood series of vaccines for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (DTP/DTaP). Tdap vaccine may not be available in many countries outside the United States of America so check with your healthcare provider. Tdap appears with the following trade names: Adacel, Boostrix, Repevax. We accept only an adult pertussis booster, given after the 10th birthday and then every 10 years routinely. If you are unable to obtain this vaccine because it is unavailable to you, please notify the Immunization Team by emailing them at [email protected]. Please note: Tdap vaccine, emphasis on “P” for Pertussis, is a required immunization and you will not be considered compliant, regardless of whether you have recently received a Td booster or if it was given a week before your 10th birthday. Tuberculin Testing A Tuberculin Skin test (TST) or Quantiferon Gold test is required for students who are at higher-risk, meaning they: have been in physical contact with someone who has TB disease have lived or worked somewhere TB disease is more common (e.g. homeless shelters, prison, jails, or some nursing homes) have spent three or more months in a country where TB disease is common (.docx) use illegal drugs have symptoms of TB (fever, night sweats, cough, weight loss) A new or past positive test must be accompanied by a chest x-day report within the last year. Requirement for TB testing will be determined upon upload of required Immunizations and completion of the Health History form on MyUHS. Recommended Immunization These vaccines are not required for enrollment. However, they are recommended for certain people and are all available at UHS (excluding the COVID vaccine booster, which can be obtained at a local pharmacy). Meningitis B Vaccine In 2014 at Princeton University and in 2016 at another local institution, there were outbreaks of Meningitis B. For this reason, we recommend that all incoming students, especially those living in dormitory style facilities, to be vaccinated for Meningitis B. There are two different vaccine products by two different manufacturers – Bexsero, a two dose vaccine, and Trumenba, a three dose vaccine. They are not interchangeable – so be sure to indicate which vaccine you are receiving when you send in your immunization record. COVID-19 The University recommends that all undergraduate and graduate students be up-to-date with their COVID vaccine(s), and update their vaccination information in their MyUHS portal. Hepatitis A This vaccine is recommended if you: travel or work anywhere except the U.S., Western Europe, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and Japan have chronic liver disease, hepatitis B or C use illegal drugs are a man who has sex with other men have clotting-factor disorders work with hepatitis A virus in experimental lab settings (not routine medical laboratories) handle food (when health authorities or employers determine vaccination to be cost effective) wish to obtain immunity to hepatitis A Influenza Vaccine (Flu shot) The single best way to prevent the seasonal flu is to get an annual influenza vaccination. Learn more about the flu vaccine. Pneumococcal (Prevnar and Pneumococcal Polysaccharide) Discuss the need for this vaccine with your physician if you have a disease or condition that lowers your body’s resistance to infection, such as: Hodgkin’s disease lymphoma or leukemia kidney failure multiple myeloma nephritic syndrome HIV infection or AIDS damaged spleen or no spleen organ transplant long term steroids certain cancer drugs radiation therapy smoking and asthma Poliomyelitis The University recommends all student be up to date on their polio vaccines with at least 3 doses, usually given during childhood. In addition, it is recommended that adults 18 years or older planning to travel to countries with increased risk of exposure to poliovirus should receive a single lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine. Varicella (Chicken Pox) Two doses of the chicken pox vaccine are recommended at least one month apart, unless you have positive immune titer verifying immunity or history of disease with an approximate date. Exemptions from requirements If certain immunizations are contraindicated due to a medical condition, you may be exempt from immunization requirements. You will need to submit a signed statement of medical exemption from your primary care provider to [email protected]. You may also be exempt from immunizations due to your religious beliefs. In this case, you should submit an Application for Exemption from Immunization, explaining how immunizations conflict with your religious beliefs. Email [email protected] to request the application. UHS highly recommends that students with immunization exemptions submit results of titers (blood tests to determine immunity) for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella. Students who do not do so, or whose results do not show that they have immunity, may be temporarily excluded from classes, residence halls, and any sponsored activities on campus in the event of a vaccine-preventable disease outbreak or threatened outbreak. Uploading documentation For commonly asked questions on completing your immunization requirements and providing documentation, see our FAQ on Completing Immunization and Health History for Incoming Students.
