May 18, 2023: COVID-19 Policy Update
On May 16, 2023, the University of California announced revisions to the UC COVID-19 vaccine policy in light of changes to state and federal COVID-19 public health guidance and the end of the federal Public Health Emergency on May 11, 2023. For detailed information regarding the revisions to the University's COVID-19 policy, please visit the UCIForward website. The full text of UCI's most recent message regarding these changes can be found here.
Effective immediately:
- The University will require students to either receive or affirmatively decline a COVID-19 vaccination each year.
- Students will no longer be required to submit documentation of a COVID-19 primary series or submit and receive an approved medical or religious exception, or disability deferral to be present on campus.
COVID vaccines and vaccine booster shots are available at UCI Student Health Center. Call 949-824-5304 to schedule an appointment (Available for Students Only). For inquiries regarding availability of COVID vaccines and booster shots and other relevant information, please contact UCI's Student Health Center at 949-824-5301 or by email at shc-immunization@uci.edu. Another excellent resource for information regarding COVID policy, University directives, public health guidances, availabilty of vaccines within the community (other than SHC) and other useful information is UCI's Contact Tracing and Navigation Services unit. CTVNS may be reached at 949-824-2300 or contacttracing@uci.edu.
|
TB Risk Screening and Immunizations (including COVID): |
All incoming students including Freshman, Transfer, Graduate and Law Students must comply with these health requirements by the first date of instructions of their respective academic term. For Fall Quarter 2023, the compliance deadline is Thursday, September 28, 2023. Students entering UCI in Fall 2023 who remain non-compliant will be subject to class enrollment holds for Winter Quarter or Spring Semester (Law) 2024. Medical Students: See Immunization Requirements for Medical Students If you haven't completed these requirements by the deadline date, an academic hold will be placed onto your record by SHC and you will be unable to enroll in classes for the following term. In order to be in compliance, students must complete the TB Risk Screening Questionnaire; enter their vaccination dates; and upload their immunization record(s) online through the Student Health Patient Portal. SHC will notify the University Registrar to release the academic hold once compliance has been verified. Medical Students: SHC will defer to School of Medicine policy regarding placement of academic holds for non-compliance with these requirements. |
If a certain vaccine(s) is not available to an international student in their home country, the students should otherwise complete all other requirements noted above. However, the students will be required to obtain the remaining vaccine(s) upon their arrival on-campus.
To ensure a safe and healthy campus community, the University expects and strongly recommends that students complete ALL immunization requirements PRIOR TO ARRIVING ON CAMPUS.
For step-by-step instructions on how to upload your immunization records, enter your vaccine dates and complete the TB Risk Screening Form on the Student Health Patient Portal, click here >>> Imms TB Completion Process
These requirements are satisfied by: 1) Completing the Tuberculosis Screening Questionnaire online; 2) Entering your vaccination dates online; and 3) Scanning/uploading your vaccination records online via the Student Health Patient Portal. Refer to the step-by-step instructions provided on this page and other important information pertaining to these health requirements.
Remember!
- You are not compliant with the health requirements until you logon to the Student Health Patient Portal and complete items #1, 2, 3 above. Each item must be completed in order to be deemed compliant.
- You are NOT COMPLIANT with the IMMUNIZATION requirements if you simply UPLOAD your immunization records without completing the Immunization Form and TB Risk Screening Form on the portal.
- If you are deemed to be High Risk based upon your responses on the TB Risk Screening Form, then you must either obtain TB testing at SHC or provide results from prior TB testing that occurred within twelve (12) months of entry to UCI.
- Please complete the Immunization Form on the portal before you upload your records.
- New, incoming Students: You will be subject to an ACADEMIC HOLD and unable to enroll in classes for the term following your entering term if non-compliant.
- For problems logging onto this portal, activating your UCInetID or other technical issues, please contact the Office of Information Technology (OIT) help desk at 949-824-2222 or online at https://www.oit.uci.edu/.
Students who do not show risk factors for TB as indicated by their responses on the High Risk TB Screening Questionnaire (found online on the Student Health Patient Portal) are not required to complete/submit a TB Health Assessment Form to the Student Health Center.
Medical students: Please refer to the Immunization Requirements for Medical Students webpage for information and instructions specific to the School of Medicine.
A Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) is a document, produced by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), that informs vaccine recipients - or their parents or legal representatives - about the benefits and risks of a vaccine they are receiving. As a patient, you should receive a VIS from your provider for each vaccine that has been recommended for you prior to receiving the vaccine. Please visit the CDC website for the Vaccine Information Statement pertaining to the specific vaccine that you will be receiving (CDC Vaccine Information Statements) as well as additional information (CDC VIS Information).
Please visit here to request an exemption, exception or deferral from one or more of the UC mandated immunizations including COVID-19.
Your vaccination record (sometimes referred to as your immunization record) provides a history of all of the vaccines you received as a child and adult. These records come in different forms but the more common examples include: the "yellow" card (i.e., International Certificate of Vaccination); immunization records maintained by your primary care physician or other licensed healthcare provider either in electronic or hard copy format; and records maintained by your elementary or high school.
If the student does not have a copy of their official immunization records including TB screening or testing, they must contact the office of their primary care physician or other licensed healthcare provider unrelated to them and obtain documentation reflecting compliance with these health requirements.
Immunization Registries: Another potential source for obtaining copies of your immunization records is an Immunization Registry. These registries are secure computer systems that store children’s immunization records. These registries can only be used by doctors, hospitals, public health departments and other selected programs that serve children. The goal of these registries is to help kids get their shots on time and stay healthy.
The California Immunization Registry is referred to as CAIR, and the Student Health Center's electronic health record system is interfaced with CAIR to upload your immunization records. The California Department of Public Health) has allowed digital access to one’s personal COVID-19 vaccine record through CAIR, and recently expanded to include ALL vaccines. This new Digital Vaccine Record (DVR) portal provides a much-desired service, giving California residents and our Student Health Center easy access to your immunization history. For those who received vaccines outside of California, please check with your State's Immunization Registry
To upload your immunization and TB records directly into your SHC electronic health record via the Student Health Patient Portal, please follow the instructions shown above in the section entitled How To Comply With Your Tuberculosis and Immunization Requirements. If you experience problems related to uploading your records via the portal, please email shc-immunization@uci.edu. You will receive a reply within 24-48 hours.
For general information and questions related to Student Health, please visit the FAQ page.