As of Thursday, Feb. 12, a new University of Wisconsin policy requires its students to share their vaccination status amidst the recent measles outbreak.
Despite some confusion, according to Jake Baggott, Associate Vice Chancellor & Executive Director of University Health Services, students are not required to be vaccinated but rather obligated to share their status for specific vaccinations, such as Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR), Varicella (Chicken Pox), Hepatitis B and more, according to the UHS Vaccination Records website.
The University’s given deadline for students to report this information is March 12, which is also stated on the UHS Vaccination Records website. According to UHS, if students do not comply with this requirement, they are subject to a registration hold.
“We’re trying to get information for normal, communicable diseases we might see in the environment … the measles, mumps, or rubella, which is the MMR, the Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis, sometimes referred to as ‘Tdap,’ and then Varicella, commonly referred to as ‘Chicken Pox,’ and then Meningococcal Disease and Hepatitis B,” Baggott said.
There are potential barriers to obtaining vaccination records, according to Baggott. If students’ vaccinations are not readily available, they can refer to the Wisconsin Immunization Registry, which is also available along with other resources on the UW-Madison Policy Library website.
Along with immediate accessibility, there’s an understanding that UW’s international students may have an even more difficult time getting their records, according to Baggott.
“We’re working really closely with international student services to help students navigate that requirement and support them in the success for that,” Baggott said.
If a student is unsure of their vaccination status, they can complete a Titer test to determine their immunity to common infectious diseases, according to Baggott. This is in compliance with UW’s new policy, Baggott added. These tests can be performed at any UW Health clinic.
Titer tests measure “the level of antibodies in a blood sample,” according to CVS. These tests help determine immunity levels against diseases, according to CVS.
Students were also asked about their opinion on the new requirement. Freshmen Dianna Luccarelli and Devon Chatalas stated their safety-related concerns when it comes to campus health.
“I think it’s incredibly beneficial for UW to require vaccination records, and I’m surprised it wasn’t required before. It is absolutely necessary in order to ensure campus health and safety,” Dianna Luccarelli said.
Freshmen can especially be at risk of illnesses like meningococcal disease due to their communal style of living in campus residence halls, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
“Many students share areas that are a breeding ground for germs, especially dorm showers and bathrooms,” Luccarelli added.
Amidst the recent measles outbreak, UW’s new vaccine report requirement can provide reassurance and ensure an increase in safety.
At the university, it’s critical that students stay up to date on their vaccinations, according to UHS.
“I think based on how contagious measles is, for the safety and health of our campus, it feels important that UW makes sure its students are up to date on their vaccines and medical reports,” said Devon Chatalas.
Because the University of Wisconsin is a public institution rather than a private one, vaccinations cannot be required unless they are provided to the student body, according to professor in the divisions of Infectious Diseases and Global Pediatrics Dr. James Conway.
Conway then added that if something is required, it must be paid for.
With a speciality in vaccine development and immunization systems strengthening, Conway predicts positive outcomes with UW’s new requirement.
“I think this [requirement] will make campus just a safer and easier place to navigate for people because I think they can be reassured that it’s much more likely [now] that they won’t get exposed to something inadvertently,” Conway said.
By being required to report their vaccines, students can re-discover their vaccination status and determine whether they need or would like to update their doses, according to Conway. If students do not have vaccinations or proof of immunity, they are able to submit an attestation form through MedProctor.
UHS is pleased with how fast students have responded to the new requirement and been able to get their records in, according to Conway.
There is a hope that campus will become safer with the new requirement, and thus far, it seems as if that wish is being fulfilled, for students are responding very well to the new change, according to Conway.
Students’ ability to gauge their immunization and have general information on their vaccine status gives them medical agency not just while they are in college, but as they go through life, according to Conway.
“It’s one of those positive wake up calls that kind of empowers people to say, ‘I own my own healthcare and my own wellness,’” Conway said.
