Required Immunizations and Tuberculosis screening
PLU COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement
- A key component to in-person campus activities, consistent with public-health guidelines, is the requirement that all PLU students—undergraduate and graduate—be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and report this to the Health Center prior to arriving on campus. COVID vaccine exemptions are also available to students with medical contraindications and religious/right of conscience concerns. Exempt students will be required to comply with additional mitigation protocols, which will be discussed at an exemption review appointment with a PLU Health Center provider. Exempt students may be ineligible for certain university-sponsored activities. These activities may include, but are not limited to off-campus programs and classes, athletic programs and competitions, and study abroad. (See PLU COVID-19 Vaccine Policy)
- The CHWS Documents and Forms web page provides you with a link to submit your COVID vaccine record; and also links to the medical and religious/right of conscience exemption forms that, once completed, can be submitted to the Health Center etrieve account. (Once those forms have been received and reviewed by a Health Center provider you will be contacted to make an appointment to discuss the campus requirements associated with your exempt status.)
Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccination Requirement
- All students born after December 31, 1956 are required to provide documentation of two MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccinations received after the first birthday. This information must be on file before a student is permitted to register.
- MMR vaccinations are available, by appointment, at the Health Center. Full vaccination requires 2 doses. If a second dose is required (some individuals completed only one dose in childhood), it must be administered no sooner than four weeks after the first. If no documentation is available titers can be done to prove immunity. Please call for the current price for titers.
- Requests for immunization exemption can be made at the Health Center. Exemptions can be based on medical, religious, or personal grounds. If a student is granted an exemption and there is a suspected disease outbreak on campus, the student will be restricted from the campus for the duration of the outbreak. In addition, exempt students may be ineligible for certain university-sponsored activities. These activities may include, but are not limited to off-campus programs and classes, athletic programs and competitions, and study abroad.
Tuberculosis testing
- International students, faculty and visiting scholars from countries at increased risk for tuberculosis, per World Health Organization guidelines, will be required to have a tuberculosis test called a T-spot. This blood test must be done at the Student Health Center after arrival at PLU.
- MMR vaccinations and the Tb blood test may be done at the same time. Both of these are available to international students at the PLU Health Center and will be billed to your international insurance.
Immunizations We Strongly Recommend
Although PLU does not require students to have the following vaccines, we strongly urge students to obtain these immunizations. These immunizations can help protect each student, as well as the PLU community as a whole. Each of these vaccines is a standard, routine vaccine, advised by the American College Health Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Washington State recently experienced the worst whooping cough (Pertussis) outbreak in 50 years. This infection passes through the air, and it spreads easily through college campuses. It is known as the “100 day cough,” since it is a prolonged, debilitating illness. A booster vaccine is advised every ten years.
Meningitis is a life-threatening infection that is passed through the air. The mortality rate is more than 30 percent. There have been outbreaks in several college campuses during the past year. The CDC urges a booster of the MenACWY vaccine every five years for college students. PLU recommends the additional MenB vaccine. This vaccine covers the strain most associated with outbreaks of meningitis on residential college campuses. We recommend you discuss this vaccine with your primary care provider before arriving on campus.
This is a standard, routine vaccine for all American men and women at age 13. This vaccine is a safe, effective way to reduce the risks of many kinds of cancer. This includes cancers of the mouth, throat, cervix, and there are links to prostate cancer and heart disease.
Most American children are vaccinated against chickenpox. If you have not been vaccinated and if you have never had the Chickenpox disease, it can be a serious illness during college.
This is a routine vaccination for children in the United States. Hepatitis A is usually passed through contaminated food or person-to-person contact.
This is a routine vaccination for children in the United States. Hepatitis B can cause a rapidly progressive, life-threatening liver cancer.
Locate Your Immunization Records
These may be available from your high school, primary care provider, or your own records. Verify that you have received these vaccines. If you were born in Washington State, the PLU Health Center may be able to obtain some records using a state registry. You are welcome to call us (253-535-7337) or send email to health@plu.edu for assistance.
IF YOU NEED VACCINES:
If it is before your 19th birthday:
These vaccines are provided by the PLU Health Center at no charge.
If it is after your 19th birthday:
You may obtain these vaccines from the PLU Health Center for a fee. We can provide you with a statement to send to your insurance company. We do not bill insurance companies directly, and we can never guarantee that an insurer will reimburse you. We urge you to talk with your insurance company first. If necessary, you may be able to obtain these vaccines from a retail pharmacy or from another healthcare provider. Please make certain that the PLU Health Center has updated immunization records for you.
After undergoing these vaccines, please send us a record of your immunizations so that we can keep your file up to date. You may FAX a copy to (253-536-5042), scan and email the record to health@plu.edu, or send a paper copy to the PLU Health Center, Tacoma WA 98447-0003.