Immunizations

Immunization Requirements at SMCC

Maine state law requires that all Southern Maine Community College students born after 1956 who are enrolled full or part-time and attend in-person classes on any SMCC campus, center, or site, must furnish proof, prior to attending in-person classes, of immunization against:

• measles (unless born before January 1, 1957) – Two doses of measles vaccine administered after first birthday. If vaccinated with inactivated Measles vaccine prior to 1968 must be re-immunized,
• mumps (unless born before January 1, 1957) – Two doses of mumps vaccine administered after first birthday,
• rubella (unless born before January 1, 1957) – Two doses of Rubella vaccine administered after first birthday,
• diphtheria/tetanus – One dose of Td or DT administered within 10 years of enrollment and every 10 years thereafter.

*If just beginning the immunization sequence, students must have received MMR1 and Tetanus prior to attending their first semester, and MMR2 prior to attending their second semester.

This law does not apply to students enrolled in a distance education program and who do not physically attend ANY classes or programs at a college campus, center, or site.

Students who are covered by the law MUST present the school with a Certificate of Immunization from a physician, nurse, public health official, or school health provider who has administered the immunizing agent(s) to the student. The certificate shall specify the immunizing agent, and the date(s) on which it was administered. Adequately prepared school health records (i.e., showing month and year of vaccine administered) will be considered acceptable for the purpose of meeting this requirement.

IMPORTANT: If you are in a program listed below, please follow the immunization requirements of that program:

COVID-19 Immunization Information

Per the Maine Community College System, a COVID-19 vaccine is not required for on-campus students. SMCC will focus on strengthening and expanding wellness education programs aimed at mitigating the spread of respiratory and other illnesses, including COVID-19, influenza, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

Medical Exemption

A student who does not meet the immunization and/or immunity requirements may be enrolled in school under the following conditions:

• The student, or the parent, if the student is a minor, presents to the school a written statement from a licensed physician, registered nurse, nurse practitioner or physician assistant that in the provider’s professional judgement immunization against one or more of these diseases is medically inadvisable for the student. The statement must be on the physician’s letterhead, signed and dated, and can be sent to the following: Fax: (207) 741-5760, or to the Advising Office secure online dropbox.
• Medical exemptions to receiving tetanus-diphtheria toxoid are limited to: 1) having received tetanus toxoid or tetanus-diphtheria toxoid within 5 years of enrollment; 2) A hypersensitivity reaction to a prior dose of tetanus toxoid or tetanus-diphtheria toxoid.
• Medical exemptions to receiving measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR) are limited to: 1) pregnancy, or those students planning to become pregnant within 3 months; 2) a history of anaphylactic reaction following egg ingestion or receipt of neomycin; 3) students with altered immunocompetence, as occurs with leukemia, lymphoma, generalized malignancy, or therapy with alkylating agents, antimetabolites, radiation, or large doses of corticosteroids.

A student must provide a letter from a licensed physician, registered nurse, nurse practitioner or physician assistant that includes at least one of the listed grounds for medical exemption.

Students with medical exemptions: 1) in the case of an outbreak of a specific disease for which a student is not protected, the student may be kept out of the College and all College-sponsored activities for the duration of the outbreak; 2) the length of time the student may be kept out of the College may vary from a week to over a month depending on the disease and the duration of the outbreak; 3) if the student is kept out of the College, the College is not required to provide off-site classes, tutoring or extraordinary make-up provisions for work missed in the student’s absence. Absences in excess of any limits established by the student’s instructors (as defined in his/ her syllabi) may be upheld; 4) no refunds will be granted to the student if he/she elects to withdraw from a course as a result of missing classes due to an outbreak; and 5) depending on the student’s chosen program of study, (a) the College may not be able to place the student in a clinical setting, which would likely prevent the student from completing the course and/or program of study within the scheduled time frame; and (b) the student’s medical records will be provided, upon request, to the clinical setting in which the student is placed.

How to Submit Your Immunizations

Immunization records can be submitted to the Advising Office by fax: 207-741-5760 or Secure Advising Email.

Wondering which immunizations you are missing?

You can view missing requirements in your student portal, MySMCC. Once logged in, click on My Maine Guide, and then find Immunization Information in the left side column.

Questions?

Contact the Advising Office at 207-741-5835 or smccadvising@mainecc.edu.