ETSU requires a measles/mumps/rubella immunization for all students before they can attend school, but a shortage of the shot is restricting some students from registering.”In the past ETSU’s policy had been actually more strict, but after a lot of work with other departments, the guidelines have been altered,” Student Health Educator Barbara Knight said.

The new guidelines for students are as follows:

Being able to assume that graduates from Tennessee high schools after 1999 have gotten their MMRs so they do not have a registration hold placed on them.

Being able to assume that graduates from Tennessee high schools after 1978 have had one so they only need to send proof of one more

Allowing students who are part time to attend without submitting proof of MMRs (These are changes that the State Department of Health recommended.)

Out-of-state students must still show proof of two shots no matter when he or she graduated.

“These changes have reduced greatly the number of students that we, in the past, had to put registration holds on,” Knight said.

State Immunization Director Jerry Narramore recently sent a letter reporting manufacturing problems and delays in shipments.

“MMR vaccine is restricted to primary dose only and children needing the second dose for school admission can be either scheduled for later this year or given a temporary certificate,” he said. “The temporary certificate should be valid until Oct. 31, and could be extended until December.”

As of now there is enough of the vaccine to go around. This is affecting students because full time college students are required by law to have had two MMRs before they can attend school.

“If students do not meet requirements, they will not have a hold placed on them until the vaccine is released, and they can’t receive their MMR vaccine because there is a shortage,” Knight said. “This does not change our policy, it only delays putting holds because of immunization requirements.”

“Students who do not go ahead and turn in MMR immunization records will at a later date find a registration hold, which will lead to a lot of upset students and confusion as to why they were allowed to register before and now they cannot,” Knight said.

Students should not try to get by without proof of immunization.

The more students that do get by without proof of immunization will lead to a huge number needing a second vaccination.

“In the past we have put as many as 1,500 registration holds due to non-compliance with MMR requirements,” Knight said.

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