Required Immunizations and Tuberculosis screening

PLU volunteer giving COVID vaccine.

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 Health Services by appointment only.  Full vaccination requires 2 doses.  If no documentation is available, titers can be done to prove immunity.  Please call for the current price for titers.
  • Students MUST complete the MRR Verification Form.
  • Requests for immunization exemption can be made by downloading and completing the MMR exemption form and sending via the Health Services etrieve accountIf 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.

 

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 Health Services by appointment on your arrival date to PLU.
  • MMR vaccinations and the Tb blood test may be done at the same time.  Both of these are available to international students at Health Services and will be billed to your international insurance.

Locate Your Immunization Records

  • You may be able to receive your immunization records from your high school, primary care provider, or your medical portal. Most states have a digital vaccine registry.  You are welcome to call us (253-535-7337) or send an email to health@plu.edu for assistance.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a resource for locating vaccine records.
  • 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, upload into our secure site etrieve, or send a paper copy to PLU Health Services, Tacoma, WA 98447-0003.

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 on several college campuses in recent years.  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.

PLU COVID-19 Vaccination Recommendation

  • The COVID vaccination is not required to enroll at PLU.
  • All students are strongly recommended to have the COVID vaccine and any recommended boosters.
  • Health Services does not provide the COVID vaccine but it is available at most pharmacies, health departments and many primary care clinics. 

IF YOU NEED VACCINES:

PLU Health Services may be able to assist you in receiving these immunizations, either at PLU Health Services clinic or at a provider that takes your insurance.  If necessary, you may be able to obtain these vaccines from a retail pharmacy or from another healthcare provider.  Please make certain that PLU Health Services 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 PLU Health Services, Tacoma, WA 98447-0003.

LOCATION

601 121st St S Parkland, WA 98444

HOURS

Monday – Friday, 8am to 5pm

EMERGENCY

911 (off campus)