New York State Public Health Laws 2165 and 2167 requires students attending colleges and universities in New York to demonstrate immunity to measles, mumps and rubella and to be educated about the risk of meningococcal disease. These laws apply to all students registered for 6 or more credits and includes graduates, undergraduates, commuter, resident, domestic and international students.
Canisius College is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy campus community. Therefore, Canisius strictly enforces compliance with these mandates. Students must submit proper proof of immunity and the meningitis response form to the Student Health Center within thirty days of their first class. Students who do not submit the required information will be excluded from class, the residence halls and prohibited from further registration at Canisius.
Proof of Immunity to Measles, Mumps and Rubella
Proof of immunity to measles, mumps and rubella is required for students born on or after January 1, 1957.
If you were born before January 1, 1957 you do not need to submit immunization records. You do however need to complete the meningitis response form listed below. Please check with the college registrar to be sure your date of birth is on file with Canisius.
Measles
Acceptable proof of immunity to measles (Rubeola) is one of the following:
Two doses of live measles vaccine administered after January 1, 1968. The first dose must have been received on or after the first birthday and the second after 15 months of age. There must be a minimum interval of at least 28 days between the first and second doses of vaccine. The immunization records must be specific enough to determine that the vaccine was given on or after the first birthday. For example, if a record shows an immunization given 3/71, and the student's date of birth is 3/16/70, the exact date of immunization must be given to assure that the vaccine was given on or after the first birthday. It is recommended that if a second measles is needed, the student should receive a combined measles, mumps, rubella vaccination also known as MMR vaccine.
or
Serological proof of immunity is also acceptable. This is a blood test, which determines the presence of protective measles antibodies indicative of immunity. All blood tests must be performed by an approved medical laboratory. The presence of protective antibodies constitutes sufficient proof of immunity. A physician's interpretation of serological results must be submitted to the Student Health Center along with the actual blood test result. A statement from the diagnosing physician that the student had measles disease is also acceptable.
or
Students who are unable to prove a first measles immunization can submit documentation that they attended a primary or secondary school in the United States since 1980. This option requires the student to submit a copy of an official transcript from a primary or secondary institution in the United States as proof of the first measles. The student must then submit a certificate of immunization that documents a second dose of live measles vaccine administered within one year of attendance at Canisius College. Students can receive the second dose in the Student Health Center.or
Student who have served in the armed forces and received an honorable discharge within 10 years of attendance at Canisius, can submit a copy of their DD214, honorable discharge as proof of vaccination. However, the veteran must send for military vaccination records and attempt to get those records as soon as possible. In the event of an outbreak of either measles, mumps or rubella, veterans without military vaccination records on file will be excluded from the college.Please note that any measles vaccination given before 1968 is acceptable only if the vaccination record specifies the vaccine administered was live.
Measles or rubeola is also known as Red, Hard or 10 Days Measles.
Mumps
Acceptable proof of immunity to Mumps is one of the following:
A single dose of live mumps vaccine given after January 1, 1969, and on or after the first birthday. Records must be specific enough to determine that the vaccine was given on or after the first birthday. For example, if a record shows an immunization given 3/71 and the student's date of birth is 3/16/70, then the exact date of immunization must be checked to assure that the vaccine was administered on or after the first birthday.
or
Serological proof of immunity to mumps. This is a blood test to detect an adequate level of antibodies to mumps disease. The blood test must be done by an approved medical laboratory. The laboratory result and a physician's interpretation of the results must be submitted.or
A statement from a diagnosing physician or health care provider that the student had mumps disease.or
For those who have served in the armed forces within 10 years of attendance at Canisius can sumbit a copy of their honorable discharge (DD214) as proof of vaccination pending receipt of immunization records from the armed services.Rubella
Acceptable proof of immunity to Rubella (German Measles) is one of the following:
A single dose of live rubella virus vaccine given on or after the first birthday, and after January 1, 1969. Records must be specific enough to determine that the vaccine was given on or after the first birthday. For example, if a record shows an immunization given 3/71, and the student's date of birth is 3/16/70, than the exact date of immunization must be given to assure the vaccine was given on or after the first birthday.
or
Serologic evidence of immunity is also acceptable. This is a blood test, which determines the presence of rubella antibodies indicative of immunity. All blood tests must be performed by an approved medical laboratory. The presence of antibodies at any measurable level constitutes sufficient proof of immunity. A physician's interpretation of serological results must be submitted along with the actual lab result.or
Students who have served in the armed forces can submit proof of honorable discharge within 10 years of attendance at Canisius, as evidence of vaccination pending receipt of military vaccination records.
A physician statement of disease history is NOT acceptable for rubella, since rubella rashes resemble rashes of other diseases; it is therefore impossible to reliably diagnose on clinical evidence alone.
Rubella is also known as 3-Day Measles.
Proof Of Compliance
All Canisius College undergraduate students,as well as all international students (undergraduate and graduate) born on or after January 1, 1957, taking 6 or more credits, must have their health care provider complete the immunization section of physical examination and medical history form. Click here (.pdf) for the form. The immunization section must be signed and dated by a health care provider and must specify the vaccinations administered and the date of vaccination. The form must be completed by the physician who administered the vaccine.
Graduate students, born on or after 1957, must take the immunization form to their health care provider to be completed. Click here to download the form (.pdf).
The form must specify the vaccine product used and the exact dates of administration. The form must be signed and dated by the health care provider.
An immunization record from a school previously attended, which specifies the products administered and the date of administration and whose source was a certificate of immunization from a health practitioner is acceptable proof of compliance.
If the student is in the process of completing the required immunizations, he/she must submit the following to the Student Health Center as soon as possible:
- Proof of at least one dose of live measles virus vaccine,
- Proof of immunity to mumps and rubella, and
- Proof of an appointment to return to a health practitioner for the remaining measles immunization.
Medical exemptions can be demonstrated by having a licensed physician or nurse practitioner certify in writing that one or more of the required immunizations may be detrimental to the student's health or is otherwise medically contraindicated.The medical exemption must specify the duration of the exemption. The requirements will then be waived until such immunization is determined no longer detrimental or otherwise medically contraindicated. Students who have temporary medical exemptions will be kept on a separate listing and will be notified in writing of need to submit immunization records after the temporary medical exemption date.
Religious Exemptions
Religious exemptions can be demonstrated by submitting a written and signed statement from the student, or in the event, the student is a minor, from their parents or guardians, that they hold sincere and genuine religious beliefs, which prohibit immunization of the students. This statement must be detailed enough to prove to the College that the beliefs are religious, not philosophical, and sincerely and genuinely held and submitted to the Director of Student Health prior to class attendance. The religious exemption form can be found in the health form section of this web site and must be notarized prior to submission to Student Health
Meningitis Requirement
All students, registered for 6 or more credits, regardless of birthdate, are required to receive information about the risk of meningococcal disease and the benefit of vaccination. Students are required to read the information and either obtain the meningitis vaccine or sign a vaccine refusal statement within thirty days of first class attendance.
To read the information about meningococcal disease, click here. To submit your menigitis response form on-line click here.
Non-Compliant Students
Students must submit proof of immunity as previously described,for both Public Health Laws 2165 and 2167, within thirty days of the start of the first semester on campus. Students who do not comply will be notified by the Director of Student Health within two weeks of attendance at Canisius, of the need to comply. This warning will be sent via college e-mail. Parents of undergraduate students will be sent a letter. Thirty days after the start of the semester, non compliant students will be notified that they are excluded from class and a hold has been placed on their registration. This notification will be done via college e-mail. Undergraduate parents will receive a notification letter regarding the hold. Resident students will also be notified by Residence Life to leave their residence halls. Holds can not be lifted until all immunization requirments have been fully met. Academic deans and faculty are notified of non compliant students.
Record Keeping
All immunization records and exemptions will be kept in the Student Health Center.
This information is confidential. Click here for information on confidentiality of medical information.
Immunization records will be held in the Student Health Center for ten years after the student leaves the college. After ten years, all records are destroyed. Students should keep a copy of all vaccination records stored with their birth certificate.
Transfer of Immunization Records To Another School
Request for transfer of immunization records from Canisius College to another school must be done in writing. Click here (.pdf) for Authorization to Disclose Health Information. Requests must be signed by the student and completed fully including what information is to be released. It takes one week (7 days) for requests for records to be processed. The Student Health Center does not fax any health information including immunizations to other schools, providers or to the student. Records will be mailed or students can pick up their records.
Immunizations Fees
The Student Health Center does offer immunizations on campus. The rates for immunizations are listed below. Students must pay cash at time of the vaccine as the Student Health Center does not bill insurance providers for vaccine fees.
| Vaccination | Rate |
| Meningococcal Vaccine | $100 |
| Tetanus/Diptheria/pertussis (Tdap) | $35 |
| Measles, Mumps & Rubella | $55 |
| PPD (Mantoux) for TB | $15 |
Community Resources for Immunizations
Immunizations are also available through County Health Departments, private physician offices and travel clinics.