San Diego State University announced Thursday it will roll out state-mandated vaccination requirements a year early, and include immunization against a strain of meningococcal disease that struck three students over the past year.
New students entering in the fall will be required to show proof they have been vaccinated against measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, chicken pox, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, meningococcal serogroups A, C, Y and W-135 and screened for tuberculosis. In addition, SDSU will require vaccination against meningococcal serogroup B.
“The decision supersedes new California State University immunization policies by rolling out the complete set of immunization requirements one full year earlier and making menB a required vaccine, as opposed to a recommended one,” the university said in a statement.
There were three confirmed cases of meningococcal meningitis during the most recent academic year. The potentially deadly bacterial illness led county health officials to declare an outbreak and urge students, faculty and staff members to seek vaccinations. About 9,000 did.
“It was important for us to make the menB vaccine a required immunization given our ongoing meningococcal serogroup B outbreak, but more importantly, for the overall health and safety of our campus community,” said Andrea Dooley, the university’s associate vice president for student affairs.
New students will be required to present proof of vaccination by the 10th day of classes in their first semester. Those who fail to do so will receive a hold on their account, rendering them unable to register for classes or alter their schedule until they confirm with the university they have received the full series of vaccines.
The updated CSU vaccination requirements are scheduled to go into effect statewide during the fall 2020 semester. Prior CSU rules only required students to receive the MMR and hepatitis B vaccines.
The change in policy affects only new, incoming students to the university.
