For College Students and Administrators

College students and staff need certain immunizations. This page provides immunization information and resources for both college students and administrators.

Washington State's Meningococcal Education Mandate
Meningococcal information materials
Flu and HPV resources for your college
Other resources for college students
Immunization Information System (IIS) resources for colleges
Immunization records for college students

Washington State's Meningococcal Education Mandate

As of July, 1, 2004, Washington law requires certain colleges to inform students about meningococcal disease and the vaccine. Is your college following this law RCW 70.54.370?

About the law

Public and private colleges in Washington that offer on-campus or group housing must provide information on meningococcal disease to each first-time student. Community and technical colleges must provide information only to students offered on-campus or group housing.

The college will work with the Washington State Department of Health on preparing their meningococcal information materials.

  • Information given to first-time students about meningococcal disease must include:
    • Symptoms, risks, elevated risk due to group living arrangements, and treatment
    • Current meningococcal vaccine recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including where students can get the vaccination; however, the college is not required to provide the vaccination to students
  • For electronic enrollment or registration of first-time students, this information must be provided electronically and acknowledged by the student before they complete electronic enrollment or registration.

Meningococcal information materials

Meningococcal resources for your college

Information about meningococcal disease and prevention to raise awareness among students.

  • Student video (Idaho Immunization Coalition)
    Protect yourself from preventable diseases by making sure you are up to date on your immunizations before you leave for college.
  • Meningitis B Action Project (Joint initiative by the Kimberly Coffey Foundation and The Emily Stillman Foundation)
    The Meningitis B Action Project provides material and resources to educate parents and young adults about meningitis B and the vaccine to prevent it.
  • Meningococcal Disease Collect Toolkit
    Meningococcal Disease College Toolkit (National Foundation for Infectious Diseases)
    Raises awareness about the importance of meningococcal disease prevention among healthcare professionals, college health administrators, students, and the public.
  • Pledge 2 Prevent
    Pledge 2 Prevent Toolkit (National Meningitis Association)

    Help student groups, including fraternities and sororities, raise awareness of meningococcal disease and its prevention. There is also a vaccine policy advocacy guide. Find this toolkit at the bottom of the webpage under educational resources.

  • Meningococcal disease: Information for teens and college students (Healthychildren.org)

    Information for teens and college students on meningococcal disease.

Meningococcal maps and charts

Compare meningococcal disease outbreaks and required meningococcal vaccination by state.

Meet a Washington Meningitis B Survivor

 

Kaley Dugger got sick with meningitis B in 2004 when she was seven years old. She survived! She graduated from Seattle University and is a strong advocate for both meningococcal vaccination and people with disabilities. Read Kaley's Story and make sure you get vaccinated against meningococcal disease.

"I wait desperately for the day that no one dies from this preventable disease. Until then, I plan to raise awareness about meningitis and encourage everyone to consider vaccinating against this deadly threat." - Kaley Dugger

A Washington mom's message about meningococcal disease

 

"Bacterial meningitis killed my daughter, Nadia. I don't want it to happen to you or someone you love. You can help prevent meningitis by getting vaccinated with meningococcal vaccines." - Karin Willett

Karin believes there are three things college students can do to stay healthy: 1. Keep informed on health issues. 2. Adopt healthy habits. 3. (Most importantly) GET VACCINATED!"

Read Nadia's Story and make sure you get vaccinated against meningococcal disease.

"Through this horrendous experience of seeing my child suffer and then die, I must do something. My dream is to help just ONE CHILD and their family not go through this devastating disease. I must try to help eliminate meningitis from the face of the earth! We must work together!" – Karin Willett

Flu and HPV resources for your college

Want your college to be a champion for immunizations? Here are more toolkits and resources to help you promote flu and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination on your campus.

Flu

HPV

Other resources for college students

Immunization Information System resources for colleges

 

The Washington State Immunization Information System (IIS) is a statewide web-based system that helps healthcare providers and schools ensure Washington residents of all ages are immunized. Your college can use the IIS if there's a healthcare provider on staff. Learn more about accessing the IIS and enrolling your institution.

Colleges can benefit from using the IIS:

  • Streamline immunization records for providers, schools, and consumers
  • Reduce unnecessary paperwork and missed opportunities to vaccinate
  • Use clinical decision support tools to forecast upcoming vaccines due
  • Follow the recommended vaccines and schedules of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)
  • Perform electronic data exchange with electronic health records (EHRs)
  • Support immunization verification during outbreaks

Additional resources

Immunization records for students

 

My Immunization Records

MyIR provides your immunization history in Washington. It also gives you a schedule showing any vaccines you need.

If you have immunization records from another state or country, show them to your healthcare clinic to get them entered in the Washington state database. Then you can see them online in MyIR.