Immunization FAQs

What is the required immunization for all UTMB students?

Immunization requirements for all UTMB Students and visiting students can be found in the Student Health website under the tab Health Services: UTMB Required Immunizations

Where can I find additional information about the immunization requirements?

You can find all immunization requirements by clicking this link:
https://www.utmb.edu/studenthealth/student-information/utmb-immunization-services/student-immunization-requirements.

How do I submit proof of my immunizations?

You can complete your immunization information and upload supporting documents using the Immunization Information tile on your Home Page in mySTAR.

What can I do if I am unsure of the required immunization?

Email Student Health at SHCemail@utmb.edu for any immunization/vaccine questions.

What type of document is an acceptable proof of immunization?

Acceptable documents include: 

• A document signed by a health care provider that indicates the names of vaccines and the dates you received them, OR
• A copy of your immunizations’ record from your previous school on the school’s letterhead, OR
• Lab results showing your immunity (reference range, with collection date, name and date of birth)

What can I do If I do not have any records of my immunizations?

• You can contact your pediatrician’s office, your high school, your previous college, etc. and ask if they have your records. 
• If you cannot obtain records, plan to request lab tests to confirm immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, and varicella or
• Plan to receive the vaccines again.

What are the hepatitis B vaccines licensed for use in the United States?

Three single-antigen vaccines, one three-antigen vaccine, and three combination vaccines are currently licensed in the United States. Single-antigen hepatitis B vaccines, Engerix-B, Recombivax HB, Heplisav-B. (CDC)

What are the recommended schedules for hepatitis B vaccination?

The vaccination schedule most often used for adults is three intramuscular injections, the second and third doses administered at 1 and as early as 4 months, or at 6 months, respectively, after the first dose. Alternate schedules have been approved for certain vaccines and/or populations. A new formulation, Heplisav-B (HepB-CpG), is approved for two doses, 1 month apart. (CDC)

Can a patient receive the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine from one manufacturer and subsequent doses from another manufacturer?

Yes. When feasible, vaccines from the same manufacturer should be used to complete the series, but vaccination should not be deferred when the manufacturer of the previously administered vaccine is unknown or when the vaccine from the same manufacturer is unavailable. Different vaccination schedules apply for patients receiving vaccines from different manufacturers; details regarding how to complete the vaccination series using vaccine from a different manufacturer are available. (CDC)

If there is an interruption between doses of hepatitis B vaccine, does the vaccine series need to be restarted?

No. The series does not need to be restarted, but the following should be considered.

• If the vaccine series was interrupted after the first dose, the second dose should be administered as soon as possible.
• The second and third doses should be separated by an interval of at least 8 weeks.
• If only the third dose is delayed, it should be administered as soon as possible.

Is it harmful to administer an extra dose(s) of hepatitis B vaccine or repeat the entire vaccine series if documentation of vaccination history is unavailable?

No. If necessary, administering extra doses of single-antigen hepatitis B vaccine is not harmful. (CDC)

Can hepatitis B vaccine be administered concurrently with other vaccines?

Yes. Administering hepatitis B vaccine at the same time as other vaccines has not been shown to interfere with antibody response. Separate body sites and syringes should be used for simultaneous administration of injectable vaccines. (CDC)

Can anti-HBs levels following vaccination decline over time?

Yes. Following vaccination, anti-HBs levels decline over time. Anti-HBs ≥10 mIU/mL is considered a correlate of vaccine-induced protection for people who have completed an approved vaccination series. (CDC)

How soon can I start the Hep B series?

Once you receive the result on your Hep B titer and if negative, you may start the new Hep B series.

Do I need a titer after my new Hep B series?

Yes, a titer is required to show hepatitis B immunity.

What is the TB annual screen?

As part of UTMB’s IHOP Policy (IHOP 08.01.02), Tuberculosis Surveillance Program, all students are required to complete a TB screening webform annually while enrolled in their academic program. 

I am a new incoming student which month I can obtain my QuantiFERON gold test prior to enrollment at UTMB.

We require a QuantiFERON gold test within 3 months prior to your enrollment @UTMB.

Do I need to do a QuantiFERON gold yearly?

No, if your result is negative and no new known exposure to TB. The exception is SON BSN students are required to complete this test yearly or a skin test annually.

What do I do if my clinic location site requires a skin test?

Student health clinic offers PPD skin test to any student requiring it for clinical rotation.

Can I have my skin test read somewhere else?

No. If we place your skin test you must return to Student Health Services after 48-72 hours to have it read. You can have your skin test placed and read at an outside facility as long as you submit proper documentation to Student Health Services.

What do I do if I had a positive skin test or QuantiFERON/T-Spot blood test in the past?

All students with positive Q-Gold result or history of positive skin test will follow up with Student Health clinic or their healthcare provider for other investigations and treatments of LTB infection. Additionally, students with positive Q-GOLD, will need to complete this online TB evaluation form annually. https://utmb.us/6ss

How Is latent TB diagnosed?

A diagnosis of latent TB infection is made if a person has a positive tuberculin skin test (TST) or TB blood test (interferon-gamma release assays, or IGRA) result and a medical evaluation does not indicate TB disease. TB blood tests are the preferred TB test for persons born outside the United States, many of whom have received the bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine.

What is LTBI?

People who are infected with TB bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) but are not sick have a condition called latent TB infection. A person with latent TB infection does not have symptoms, does not feel sick, and cannot spread TB bacteria to others. Many people who have latent TB infection never develop TB disease. Some people develop TB disease soon after becoming infected (within weeks) before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria. Other people may get sick with TB disease when their immune system becomes weak for another reason. Latent TB infection can be treated to prevent the development of TB disease.

Why do I need treatment for LTBI?

Per UTMB policy, it is mandatory to be treated for Latent TB and also Treatment of latent TB infection is essential to controlling TB in the United States because it substantially reduces the risk that latent TB infection will progress to TB disease.

What should I do if I’m unsure if I’m immune to MMR?

If you’re unsure whether you’re immune to measles, you should first try to find your vaccination records or documentation of measles immunity. If you do not have written documentation of measles immunity, you should get vaccinated with measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. There is no harm in getting another dose of MMR vaccine if you may already be immune to measles (or mumps or rubella). Another option is to have a healthcare provider test your blood to determine whether you’re immune.

Do I need a booster dose?

No. CDC considers people who received two doses of measles vaccine as children according to the U.S. vaccination schedule protected for life, and they do not ever need a booster dose.

I only got one dose of MMR do I need second dose?

Yes, Student who are going to be in a setting that poses a high risk for measles transmission should make sure they have had two doses separated by at least 28 days.

Is a history of chickenpox sufficient for the immunization requirement?

No, you need a positive titer or start a new series of the Varicella vaccine.

If I have one dose of the varicella vaccine, can I get the second dose or do I need to start the series?

Yes, you may get the second dose. Starting a new series is not required.

Why do I need a flu shot annually?

The CDC recommends that everyone get vaccinated each year. It takes about two weeks for full protection to set in, so it is important to get vaccinated as soon as possible. September and October are generally good times to be vaccinated against flu. Ideally, everyone should be vaccinated by the end of October. 

What egg-free flu vaccines are currently available?

Two completely egg-free flu vaccine options are: Flublok Quadrivalent recombinant flu vaccine and  Flucelvax Quadrivalent cell-based flu shot. SHC offers both for students that need the egg free flu vaccine.

Does the flu vaccine offered at SHC contain the thimerosal?

No, most single-dose vials, pre-filled syringes, and the nasal spray flu vaccine do not contain a preservative because they are intended to be used once.

How many doses do I need to be compliant with UTMB Immunization requirements?

Please check the UTMB Student Immunization Requirements under the COVID vaccine tab.

Can I mix COVID 19 Vaccine Products?

Do Not Mix Primary Series - CDC does not recommend mixing products for your primary series doses. If you received Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Novavax for the first dose of your primary series, you should get the same product for all following primary series doses. (CDC)

Can I mix COVID-19 Booster?

Yes, you can obtain Pfizer or Moderna for your booster.

What is an immunity or antibody titer?

An antibody titer is a blood test that measures the amount of antibodies in your blood. This test determines if you have immunity to a specific disease.

How long will it take to get my titer results?

Most titer results come back to the clinic within 3-4 days. You will see the results through your MyChart account.

My titer came back equivocal or borderline. Do I need another vaccination?

Yes. You will need to receive another vaccination to boost your immunity.

What should I do if my Hep B, MMR, or varicella titer is negative?

If your titers are negative, then you will need to either start the vaccination series over or have a vaccine booster dose.

How soon after I finish a vaccination series can I have a titer drawn?

4-6 weeks.

What is the myStar Campus Solutions Immunizations System?

This system provides a self-service form for applicants and students to self-report their immunization information and to upload supporting documents.

At what point in the application process do I receive access to Campus Solutions
Immunizations?

An applicant will have access to enter their immunization information in myStar at the time when their admission status changes to “Accepted”.

Where can I find the immunization form once I have logged in to myStar?

The link to enter your immunization data is found under the “Holds and To Do” section of
the Self-Service pagelet (lower left side of the screen).

I need two or more vaccinations to complete a series for one of my immunizations requirements. I have the first vaccination but need to wait to take the second. Will this prevent me from submitting my immunization form?

All sections must be complete before you can submit your immunization form.  *NOTE: If you have not completed all required immunizations/titers, enter a future date.

Am I required to fill out the immunization form all at once or can I save it and come back to it later?

Once you begin the immunization form, you can save it and return to it at a later time for completion and submission. If you have all of your documentation gathered prior to beginning the form, the completion of the form should only take about 10 minutes.

What file formats are acceptable for uploading my immunization documents into mySTAR?

A signed physician’s record documenting an immunization series or vaccination may be submitted as a .pdf, .jpg, .doc and .docx.

How do I submit immunization support documents after I have already submitted my immunization forms.

The immunization form requires that you attach your supporting documents prior to submitting the form. If you happen to miss a document or need to submit a replacement document, you can do this through the “Upload Immunization Documents” link found under the “Holds and To Do” section of the Self-Service page (lower left side of the screen).

I have submitted my immunization form, but I need to make a change and it won’t let me back in. How do I make a change?

Student Health will correct any incorrect dates, uploads cannot be edited once you have hit submit.  If the wrong item has been uploaded, you will have to go back in and upload the correct item to be recorded to your record.

When I try to print my immunization certification, I receive the message – “An error has occurred that has stopped these transactions from continuing.” What does this mean?

An immunization hold is on your account. Student Health Services will verify your immunization data once you have submitted your immunization form and documents. If you are missing required immunizations a hold will be placed on your account until you have fulfilled the requirement.  After your immunization data is marked as complete, the immunization hold will be removed.

Why do I have a hold?

The hold on your myStar account for immunizations can be due to a missing vaccine documentation, missing TB annual screening and or vaccine dose or titer is due or has expired.

Does myStar show the reason for the hold?

Yes, myStar does indicate what is causing your hold. If your hold is for an immunization you will need to contact the Student Health Clinic via email at shcemail@utmb.edu.