- Director's Letter About New York State Health Law
May 2008
Dear Incoming Students,
As the Director of the Barnard College Student Health Service, I am writing to inform you about two New York State health laws that you must comply with in order to be registered at Barnard College.
New York State
Public Health Law § 2175
This law mandates that any student born on or after January 1, 1957, and who
registers to attend full-time or part-time classes at a post-secondary
institution, provide to the college certification from a health practitioner
that documents proof of immunization against measles, mumps and rubella. This
applies to all students, whether they live on or off campus.
Acceptable proof of immunity is as follows:
· MEASLES: two live doses of live measles virus vaccine, the first dose administered on or after the first birthday and the second after 15 months of age. Also acceptable is serological evidence (a positive blood titer test result), or a certificate of a physician’s diagnosis of disease history.
· MUMPS: vaccination on or after the first birthday, or serological evidence, or a certificate of a physician’s diagnosis of disease history.
· RUBELLA (German measles): one dose of vaccine given on or after the first birthday or serological evidence. A physician statement of disease history is NOT sufficient for rubella.
Requests for exemption from this law for either religious or medical reasons must be made in writing prior to your arrival at Barnard. Requests should be addressed to the Director of the Health Service, who will issue a letter of exemption if the request is judged to be valid. In the event of an outbreak of any of the three diseases on or near campus, non-immune students who have been granted an exemption may be excluded from classes or campus to protect them from exposure.
New York State Public Health Law
§2167
This law
requires institutions, including colleges and universities, to
distribute information about meningococcal disease and vaccination to all
students meeting the enrollment criteria, whether they live on or off campus.
Barnard College is required to maintain a record of the following for each student:
· A response to receipt of meningococcal disease and vaccine information signed by the student (or parent or guardian if the student is under 18 years of age.) This must include information on the availability and cost of the meningococcal vaccine (Menomune or Menactra).
AND EITHER
·
A record of meningococcal meningitis immunization within the past
10 years;
OR
· An acknowledgement of meningococcal disease risks and refusal of meningococcal meningitis immunization signed by the student or student’s parent or guardian.
For a detailed description of meningococcal disease and the vaccine, please see the information sheet from the New York State Department of Health.
If you choose to receive the vaccine, we encourage you to contact your own health care provider before your arrival at Barnard. If you plan to receive the vaccine on arrival at Barnard, please contact us at (212) 854-2091.
All your required health forms, including the Meningococcal Meningitis Vaccination Response Form, must be received by the Barnard College Student Health Service by June 30, 2008. Any incoming student who is unable to comply with this deadline should contact the Health Service for advice.
Sincerely,
Brenda Slade, NP, MA
Director, Student Health Service
