Office of Student Conduct and Care

International students must show documentation for the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), and the TDAP. These can be administered in your home country. In addition, the TB test and the meningococcal conjugate (MCV4) must be be completed in the United States.

As soon as possible. All incoming students at Purdue Fort Wayne and all students living in student housing are required to submit proof of immunization prior to attending classes or moving into housing.

You may think you have all the necessary documentation, but that may not be the case. The sooner you submit your immunization history to Med+Proctor, the more likely you are to avoid any registration holds or your delaying your ability to move into student housing.

If you log in to your account on Med+Proctor, you should be able to see the issue notes posted by the reviewer. The most common reasons a document would be disapproved are the following:

• The document was too small or blurry to read.
• The vaccine was administered outside of the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC’s) accepted timeline.
• The document is missing the student’s identifying information to prove it is the student’s immunizations that were submitted.
• The vaccine record is not in English and requires a translation.
• The record is self-reported.
• A vaccine is missing at least one of the required two doses
  • This may result in the temporary clearance of a hold if the student has already received dose one, depending on whether the waiting period required for dose two is still in effect.
  • If neither dose one nor dose two have been administered, or if the waiting period between the two doses has already passed, the student is not eligible for a temporary clearance.

You will receive an email from Med+Proctor once your immunization records are approved.

A temporary clearance lifts a hold from the student’s account for a short period of time while the student is in the mandatory waiting period for a second dose of a vaccine and is otherwise compliant with Purdue Fort Wayne’s immunization policy.

If there is an outbreak of any of the diseases for which Purdue Fort Wayne requires immunization documentation, university administrators will consult the database of students who claimed exemptions for religious or medical reasons and will contact you to advise you to leave campus immediately and not return until an “All Clear” message is given.

Such actions are for the safety of students who have not been immunized, as they are at higher risk of becoming sick and further promoting an epidemic. At the time of such outbreak, students who formerly claimed exemption may seek to become immunized and present documentation of such immunization to avoid the keep-away notice.

Ask your doctor or prenatal care provider to issue a statement confirming your pregnancy and the expected due date. You can upload that document to your Med+Proctor account to support your request for a medical exemption for the time being. The same precautions will apply to you during that time as with other kinds of medical or religious exemptions.

Should there be an outbreak on campus and you have not been immunized, you will be advised to leave campus immediately and not return until an “All Clear” message has been issued.

Both the Med+Proctor Standard and Pro accounts allow you to upload your immunization documentation to the university. The Pro account allows for lifetime access to your digitized documentation. Your free standard account will still allow you to satisfy your immunization requirement for the university.

Indiana Code title 21, article 40, chapter 5 is available to view on the Indiana General Assembly. It requires students on residential campuses to provide proof of their immunization status.

Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR)
From the CDC’s official website:

CDC recommends that people get MMR vaccine to protect against measles, mumps, and rubella. Children should get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 to 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. Teens and adults also should also be up-to-date on their MMR vaccination. Children may also get MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox). This vaccine is only licensed for use in children who are 12 months through 12 years of age. Students at post-high school educational institutions who do not have evidence of immunity need two doses of MMR vaccine, separated by at least 28 days.

Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap)
From the CDC’s official website:

CDC recommends diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (pertussis) vaccination for everyone. Vaccines used today against diphtheria and tetanus (i.e., DT and Td) sometimes also include protection against whooping cough (i.e., DTaP and Tdap). Two of these (DTaP and DT) are given to children younger than 7 years old, while two (Tdap and Td) are given to older children and adults. For adults who did not get Tdap as a preteen or teen, they should get one dose of Tdap in place of a Td dose to boost protection against whooping cough. However, adults who need protection against whooping cough can get Tdap at any time, regardless of when they last got Td.

Meningitis
From the CDC’s official website:

Meningococcal meningitis is a bacterial form of meningitis, an infection of the thin lining that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. While rare, the condition is very serious and can be deadly. If untreated it can have a fatality rate up to 50 percent (10–15 percent if properly treated) and death can occur in as little as a few hours.

There are several types of bacteria that can cause meningitis. The bacterium of concern for adolescents and young adults is called Neisseria meningitidis. There are at least 12 types of N. meningitidis, called “serogroups.” Serogroups A, B, C, W and Y cause most meningococcal disease. Adolescents and young adults 16 through 23 years old are considered at an increased risk for the disease.

• Under the new requirements, first year students aged 21 or younger will have to be immunized with one dose of MenACWY (MCV4) on or after their 16th birthday.
• Immunization for Meningitis B (two doses of MenB for students aged 23 years old or younger) is not currently required by state law, but is strongly recommended. For more information on the upcoming changes to meningitis compliance, visit the meningitis section below.
  • Students who receive MenB vaccinations should submit their documentation through Med+Proctor.
  • In the event that MenB becomes a requirement under state law, this vaccination and associated documentation will be required by this policy.

Tuberculosis
From the CDC’s official website:

All international students must provide documentation of a negative TB blood test result or a chest X-ray indicating that they are not infected with TB. The test must be administered in the United States.

Varicella (chicken pox)
From the CDC's official website:

CDC recommends two doses of chicken pox vaccine for children, adolescents, and adults. Children should receive two doses of the vaccine—the first dose at 12 through 15 months old and a second dose at 4 through 6 years old.

People 13 years of age and older who have never had chicken pox or received chicken pox vaccine should get two doses, at least 28 days apart.

Medical Exemption
Documentation from a medical provider is required if you cannot provide the month and year for immunizations due to one of the following:

• You have immunity because you had the disease. Proof of disease history (measles/rubella, mumps, or varicella only) is considered to be in full compliance with state law. A physician’s written statement is required to prove immunity.
• You have laboratory evidence of immune titer.
• You are contraindicated to a vaccine. If a medical contraindication (e.g., allergy to eggs, pregnancy, reaction to vaccine, participation in a current sequence of immunizations, etc.) exists, a written statement from a physician is required to document each specific medical contraindication.

Religious Exemption
A religious objection does not exempt a student from immunization unless the exemption is made in writing and signed by the student. Religious exemption letters can be returned in lieu of immunization records. Please note that students filing a religious exemption will be required to leave campus if an outbreak of any listed preventable disease occurs on or near campus.

To submit an exemption, complete the following steps:

• Go to your Med+Proctor account or register if you have not already created one.
• Upload a signed statement stating you are claiming exemption.
• For medical exemptions, a statement from your then or current medical doctor will constitute compliancy. If that is not available, then a lab titer document will suffice.
• For religious exemptions, a written statement to the effect of “It is against my religious beliefs to accept vaccinations” with a handwritten signature will suffice. A document with only a typed signature or that purports to come from someone else will be disapproved.

All residential universities in Indiana require some form of a meningitis immunization. Most states, including Indiana, currently require the MenACWY (MCV4) immunization in high schools. MenB is currently a recommended immunization for seniors in Indiana, and may be a requirement in the future. This new requirement will help prevent infections in the university community.

Under the new requirements, first-year students age 21 or younger will have to be immunized with one dose of MenACWY (MCV4) on or after their 16th birthday. Additionally, first-year students aged 23 or younger are strongly recommended to be immunized with two doses of MenB.

Students without the MenACWY immunizations will have to obtain them either through their primary care physician, local clinic, or university health center.