Vaccine question - OT but you guys know EVERYTHING

[Maddle]

Depending on how old you are and where you live, you might require boosters anyway. (including Pertussis.)

Unless you have some compelling reason for not wanting immunizations, I would just get the boosters and be done with it - considering your need to get into registration in a timely manner.

Maddle

 

[kgc07]

If you have had a child, check with your OBGYN. Many draw titers to check for immunity during pregnancy.

 

[plummer925]

I'd call the school and make sure they realize you're an online only student.

I take classes on campus but have NOT had mine done - for religious reasons (I do not believe in them, but would NEVER condemn someone from having them!!) - I had to put it in writing (had to be a true belief!!) and if there is an outbreak on campus I'm not allowed on.

Maybe the school would allow you to put in writing that you will not be on campus (since you're an online student) and that you agree not to come on campus if there is an outbreak?

Good luck!

 

[crisi]

They have no one to protect for online classes. It is personal business.

Its possible that the registration processes haven't caught up to online only students. Its also possible that they've discovered that many students who intend to only take courses online end up in classrooms at some point during their career and they've had too many tear filled cases of "but now I won't be able to graduate for a YEAR because this class is only offered in the classroom in SPRING and now I won't be able to take it!"

 

[GinnyEmma]

Its possible that the registration processes haven't caught up to online only students. Its also possible that they've discovered that many students who intend to only take courses online end up in classrooms at some point during their career and they've had too many tear filled cases of "but now I won't be able to graduate for a YEAR because this class is only offered in the classroom in SPRING and now I won't be able to take it!"

I suspect you are right. I just think that it gets crazy. I remember being one minute past noon and begging for the registrar to just take a piece of information, so I am a bit biased, lol.

 

[SarahKate]

I just went through this last fall when I returned to school to work on my Bachelors.

I had the VERY same problem. Where in the world to find my vaccination records. Ended up going to my high school, where I had graduated in 1991. That was so weird, walking through the school. My pediatrician had been retired for a long time, possibly not even alive for all I know!

Was able to get a copy of my school physical from when I entered as a freshman. I really hadn't gotten any other regular vaccines since high school so that worked for most of it.

Had the same problem with MMR. The Mumps and Rubella were fine. But at the time I got the shots, Measles were not part of it.

I went ahead and just got the vaccine at the local health dept. You could do it there OR at your school if they offer it. The health dept. was a little cheaper for my situation.

If I were in your situation, I'd just go ahead and get the shot instead of having your titres checked. It's not going to hurt anything & will be so much easier. They will ask you if you're pregnant though. So if there's ANY chance, you might take a test first.

 

[Coll0610]

I seem to remember something about needing a measles booster if you got your original shots in the 70s. They are also giving pertussis boosters now with the tetanus shots you need every 10 years, since there have been more cases of pertussis (whooping cough) lately.

 

[sookie]

THis happened to me!! Call your elementary school or the public school system you used to attend and then have them pull your records. It should be in there!!

 

[sookie]

I'd call the school and make sure they realize you're an online only student.

I take classes on campus but have NOT had mine done - for religious reasons (I do not believe in them, but would NEVER condemn someone from having them!!) - I had to put it in writing (had to be a true belief!!) and if there is an outbreak on campus I'm not allowed on.

Maybe the school would allow you to put in writing that you will not be on campus (since you're an online student) and that you agree not to come on campus if there is an outbreak?

Good luck!

You might not "believe" in them but vaccines aren't Santa Clause - they exist and they work!! Just teasing - but I think it is funny when someone says they don't believe in xyz... its like well, they do exist! I appreciate it when people have a true reason to not want a vaccine, like you stated. I hate it when people just say it to say it or to get out of a "shot!".
If you decide to exempt due to a religious religious reason, there is a form for that. However if you are in a health science or childcare position they may not allow you to opt out - even for an online program.

 

[stm61]

I seem to remember something about needing a measles booster if you got your original shots in the 70s. They are also giving pertussis boosters now with the tetanus shots you need every 10 years, since there have been more cases of pertussis (whooping cough) lately.

I think you're right about the booster's. I just retired from the AF and about 8 or 9 years ago they made everybody get boosters of some kind of MMR or something similar. Everybody born in the '60's or later had to get them, the older guys were exempted. I don't know why the older folks didn't need them, I vaugely remember them saying something about their age exempting them for some reason, maybe side effects?

 

[sookie]

Everyone should get two MMR and two varicellas now.

 

[RachelEllen]

If you are confident with what's in your baby book, I'd honestly just go with that. My own "vaccine records" are a dog earred piece of yellow paper that was written on by my pedi, my mom, and later by me when I was getting my own boosters in college. I certainly wouldn't lie, but just type up a "Record of Immunizations," tell the college it was kept by your mom, and see if that will be sufficient. I remember when I went to school we just filled out the schools forms with vaccine dates ourselves.

 

[disfan07]

Get a titer done. That will show immunity and be proof that you had it.

We moved across the country before I went to college and I needed my MMR vaccine for college as well and my current doc didnt have them and we couldn't find them so I had the titer done. I have titers done after every vaccine to make sure they actually work because of some immune system issues.

 

[Maddle]

I think you're right about the booster's. I just retired from the AF and about 8 or 9 years ago they made everybody get boosters of some kind of MMR or something similar. Everybody born in the '60's or later had to get them, the older guys were exempted. I don't know why the older folks didn't need them, I vaugely remember them saying something about their age exempting them for some reason, maybe side effects?

I think older people are exempt because they have a natural immunity; that is, they had measles as a child. (That's me.) Or, f they didn't have it, they had some sort of exposure that created a natural immunity. (Hah - sort of a shot by asociation.)

And in case anyone is wondering what measles was like - let me tell you it was a terrible experience. I was in the first grade, and I remember getting sick with measles like it happened last month. (I am just a few weeks shy of 53 years old now.)

Maddle

 

[stm61]

I think older people are exempt because they have a natural immunity; that is, they had measles as a child. (That's me.) Or, f they didn't have it, they had some sort of exposure that created a natural immunity. (Hah - sort of a shot by asociation.)

And in case anyone is wondering what measles was like - let me tell you it was a terrible experience. I was in the first grade, and I remember getting sick with measles like it happened last month. (I am just a few weeks shy of 53 years old now.)

Maddle

Guess I got lucky. I had them when I was 3 and remember nothing about it. I do remember the chicken pox in elementary school, but not that it was horrible or anything.