6 Colo. Code Regs. § 1009-2-IX

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 20, October 25, 2024

Section 6 CCR 1009-2-IX - Requirements for college and university students, colleges and universities

The provisions below apply only to colleges or universities, or students enrolled in a college or university.

A. Minimum immunization requirements

1. Two valid doses of the MMR vaccine are required for all college or university students, unless the college or university student was born before 1957.

a. Laboratory confirmation of positive titers is an acceptable alternative to the MMR vaccine when submitted to the student's school. For MMR substitution, titers for each disease (measles, mumps, and rubella) must be positive.

2. Pursuant to section 25-4-901, C.R.S. et. seq., and section 23-5-128(3), C.R.S., each college and university shall provide information concerning meningococcal disease and meningococcal vaccine to each new college or university student residing in student housing, or if the college or university student is under 18 years, to the college or university student's parent or legal guardian. College and university students residing in student housing who have not received a meningococcal vaccine within the last five years shall review the information concerning meningococcal disease and meningococcal vaccine. If the college or university student does not obtain a vaccine, a signature must be obtained from the college or university student or if the college or university student is under 18 years, the college or university student's parent or legal guardian indicating that the information was reviewed and the college or university student or college or university student's parent or guardian has declined the vaccine.

B. Exemptions from immunization

A college or university student is exempted from receiving required immunizations in the following manner:

1. Medical exemption - A student obtains a medical exemption through the submission of the Department's Certificate of medical exemption completed and signed by an advanced practice nurse, a delegated physician assistant, or physician licensed to practice medicine or osteopathic medicine in any state or territory of the United States indicating that the physical condition of the college or university student is such that one or more immunizations would endanger their life or health or are medically contraindicated due to other medical conditions. This form is to be submitted once, unless the student's information or school changes, and must be maintained on file at each new school the student attends.

2. Nonmedical exemption - A student obtains a nonmedical exemption through the submission of the Department's Certificate of nonmedical exemption signed by the college or university student 18 years of age or older, emancipated college or university student, or the parent or legal guardian if the college or university student is under 18 years of age. Beginning with college or university entry, the Department's Certificate of nonmedical exemption must be submitted at enrollment. A Certificate of nonmedical exemption must also include either:

a. The signature of a person who is authorized pursuant to Title 12 to administer immunizations within his or her scope of practice, or

b. Confirmation of completion of the Department's online education module described in Section XII of this rule.

3. In the event of a disease outbreak for which immunization is required, no exemption or exception from immunization shall be recognized and exempted persons may be subject to exclusion from school and quarantine.

C. Examination and audit of official school immunization records

The Department's representative shall have the right to audit and verify records to determine compliance with the law. Discrepancies found through audits shall be corrected by school officials, and any college or university student not in full compliance shall be denied attendance from school according to the rules in section IX (D).

D. Denial of attendance

1. A college or university student who is: not in-process, not appropriately vaccinated for their age, or not exempt shall be denied attendance in accordance with the law.

2. A school official shall deny attendance from school, pursuant to the provisions established by the school, any college or university student not in-process, not appropriately immunized for their age, or not exempt per section 25-4-903, C.R.S. No college or university student shall be denied attendance for failure to comply unless there has been a direct personal notification of noncompliance by the appropriate school authority to the college or university student's parent or guardian, the emancipated college or university student or the college or university student 18 years of age or older.

E. Official school immunization records

1. Official school immunization records shall include:

A. The Department's Certificate of Immunization or an Alternate Certificate of Immunization approved by the Department, which includes one of the following forms of documentation:

a. A paper or electronic document that includes information transferred from the records of a licensed physician, registered nurse, a delegated physician assistant, or public health official, or

b. An electronic file or hard copy of an electronic file provided to the school directly from the immunization information system that the Department is required to maintain pursuant to section 25-4-2403, C.R.S., or from a software program approved by the Department,

B. The Department's Certificate of medical exemption, and

C. The Department's Certificate of nonmedical exemption.

2. Schools shall have on file an official school immunization record for every college or university student enrolled.

F. Reporting of statistical information - Annually, by January 15 of each year, any college or university that constitutes a school as defined by section I (O) shall send aggregate immunization and exemption data, by antigen, to the Department.

Required data shall include:

1. Total number of college or university students enrolled in the school;

2. Total number of college or university students who are up-to-date with immunizations, as required in this section (IX);

3. Total number of college or university students who have a medical exemption for the MMR vaccine;

4. Total number of college or university students who have a nonmedical exemption for the MMR vaccine;

5. Total number of in-process college or university students;

6. Total number of college or university students who have a signed waiver for the Meningococcal vaccine;

7. Total number of college or university students not up-to-date for the MMR vaccine, with no exemption on file, no Meningococcal vaccine waiver on file, and not in-process; and

8. Total number of college or university students with no immunization records.

6 CCR 1009-2-IX

37 CR 18, September 25, 2014, effective 10/15/2014

38 CR 09, May 10, 2015, effective 7/1/2015

38 CR 18, September 25, 2015, effective 10/15/2015

39 CR 12, June 25, 2016, effective 7/15/2016

40 CR 13, July 10, 2017, effective 7/30/2017

41 CR 14, July 25, 2018, effective 8/14/2018

43 CR 23, December 10, 2020, effective 1/14/2021

45 CR 01, January 10, 2022, effective 2/14/2022

46 CR 08, April 25, 2023, effective 5/15/2023