TRAVELING INTERNATIONALLY?
- Check out the Travel Medicine Program. For those traveling on UC Davis business, it offers a personalized travel report with immunization and other recommendations; a physical evaluation; and all necessary vaccinations.
- Register your UC Davis travel so you can benefit from the services and protections offered through the university’s travel insurance program.
- Visit the CDC’s Travelers Health website for health advisories for countries around the world.
Updated May 16: International scholars at UC Davis can be vaccinated for measles or have their immunity tested at the Student Wellness Center.
Margaret Walter, executive director of Student Health and Counseling Services, said the services are being offered as a convenience. They are not free and might be obtained for a lesser cost in the community, she said.
After meeting Wednesday (May 15) with Yolo County Health Officer Ron Chapman, Walter reported that there was no case of measles in the county.
Original post May 3: The Davis campus is urging students and employees to check their immunity to measles and consider vaccination after cases led to the recent quarantine of hundreds at UCLA and California State University, Los Angeles.
Student Health and Counseling Services, or SHCS, has posted measles information on its website, and has vaccination appointments available for students. Employees are encouraged to check with their health care provider.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, recommends that adults and college students who do not have evidence of immunity be vaccinated.
Gaby Renteria, campus risk manager and interim travel security manager, said members of the campus community considering travel to other countries should check for health advisories on the CDC’s Travelers Health website. It includes specific information about measles around the world.
No case of the highly contagious disease has been reported yet in Yolo County while three cases have been reported in Sacramento County, according to the California Department of Public Health.
SHCS has developed a plan to respond to a case of measles among students, and campus officials are meeting regularly to prepare more broadly for response to potential cases of measles on the campus.
Margaret Walter, executive director of SHCS, said the student health center is contacting students for whom it has no record of immunity to encourage them to check their status and contact their medical provider. In effect at Davis with the start of the 2018-19 academic year is the university system requirement that all new or entering students — including freshman, transfer, graduate and professional students — provide evidence of vaccination or immunity to measles and other contagious illnesses.
Measles is caused by a virus that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, according to the CDC. Symptoms begin with a fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, and sore throat. Those symptoms are followed by a rash that spreads over the body. Learn more about the signs and symptoms. Severe complications can include pneumonia and encephalitis, a swelling of the brain, and may require hospitalization.
Media Resources
Julia Ann Easley, 530-752-8248, jaeasley@ucdavis.edu