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Thursday, October 31, 2002

Measles vaccine shortage prompts waivers

By Gigi Wood
Iowa City Press-Citizen

At least 2,780 University of Iowa students have been exempted from the school's requirement to show proof they have been vaccinated for measles.

Typically, those students' registrations would be placed on hold. Unable to offer the vaccinations, however, UI has decided to give them the go-ahead.

Because of a nationwide shortage that began in March, UI Student Health Services has run out of the single-component measles vaccine, said Lisa James, nursing manager for the clinic.

The multi-component vaccine, commonly used to immunize children from measles, mumps and rubella is available from health providers, she said.

"We don't want to give out the multi-component vaccine to students because of possible side effects," James said. "But it's not harmful to get another (single-component) measles vaccine."

Student Health uses 99 percent of the single-component vaccine bought by University Hospitals. The shortage stems from a manufacturing problem with UI's supplier, Merk & Co., James said. The two other state universities, Iowa State and Northern Iowa, are not having vaccination shortages because the schools' student health practitioners use the multi-component measles vaccines, nurses from ISU and UNI health clinics said.

Students are given a one-semester grace period after their entrance to the school to find records that prove their immunization.

"Students must show their documentation to Student Health or their registration privilege will be put on hold," said Mary Lou Miller, assistant to the registrar. "If there's a hold, then we do not let them register."

For students who started at UI this fall, the deadline remains - though only to require that they have their status recorded or exempted by Student Health. Registration for spring classes begins Nov. 18.

James said most students who have not provided the proper paperwork probably are vaccinated because students in Iowa and Illinois are required to be immunized before entering elementary school. She said many times students simply cannot find their medical records.

"It's hard for them to find their records when they're away from home," she said. "We're urging all students who need to provide their records to call home and have their parents send (the records) in."

The number of students given exemptions is more than half the enrollment of this fall's freshman class.

UI recorded its largest incoming class ever, welcoming 4,184 registered freshmen in September, up from 4,005 freshmen in 2001. There were 2,638 new transfer students this fall at UI.

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ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.