Risks of Non-Immunization

Immunization is a safe and effective way to protect yourself against vaccine preventable diseases that can hurt, cripple and even kill. The following three contagious diseases can spread rapidly among non-immunized individuals in a group situation, such as a university campus.

1. MEASLES is a serious disease characterized by rash and moderate to high fever. It can lead to pneumonia, serious ear infections, deafness, convulsions, inflammation of the brain and even death. The severe complications develop in one out of every 1,000 cases, one in ten of such complicated cases will result in death.
2. RUBELLA or German Measles in an infectious viral disease characterized by mild fever and rash. The major risk is to non-immune women who catch the disease early in pregnancy. Such women are likely to have a baby with serious birth defects.
3. MUMPS is an acute viral disease characterized by fever and by swelling and tenderness of one or more salivary glands. The most common complications are acute inflammation of the testicles (15-20%), ovaries (10-15%), and pancreas. Other severe complications of the disease include deafness from secondary ear infections ( 1 per 15,000 cases), menigoencephalitis (3.5 per 1,000 cases), and death (1-3.5 per 10,000 cases).

Individuals with religious or medical exemptions(s) (except a verified history of disease or blood test which shows immunity to measles) are not protected against disease(s). In the event of an outbreak, individuals with a religious or medical exemption for the particular disease may be excluded from the university under the direction of the Student Health Center Director and/or the local Health Officer.