MMR vaccination

[lucy884 3]

Firstly hi! This is my first post in this forum

I have a question about the vaccinations needed for the K1 visa. I had the MMR jab when I was little (about 3 or 4 yrs old) and developed an auto-immune condition as an allergic reaction to it. My condition means I have lower blood platelet levels than is normal and 9 years ago when I was 18 I became very sick because of it. The condition becomes worse as a reaction to certain antibiotics, but doesn't affect me day to day. Anyway, I do not want to have this vaccination again (!) but I read somewhere that if your vaccinations are out of date that they require you to have them done again.. is this true? If so, do you think if I got a letter from my consultant explaining my condition that I would be allowed to bypass this particular jab at the medical?

Thanks for anyone who can help

Lucy

[Pitaya 2,577]

Firstly hi! This is my first post in this forum

I have a question about the vaccinations needed for the K1 visa. I had the MMR jab when I was little (about 3 or 4 yrs old) and developed an auto-immune condition as an allergic reaction to it. My condition means I have lower blood platelet levels than is normal and 9 years ago when I was 18 I became very sick because of it. The condition becomes worse as a reaction to certain antibiotics, but doesn't affect me day to day. Anyway, I do not want to have this vaccination again (!) but I read somewhere that if your vaccinations are out of date that they require you to have them done again.. is this true? If so, do you think if I got a letter from my consultant explaining my condition that I would be allowed to bypass this particular jab at the medical?

Thanks for anyone who can help

Lucy

Not sure if this will work. However, it may strengthen your position if you are able to get serological testing of your blood to see if you have adequate serum antibody levels against MMR. If you already have adequate serum levels, that documentation may help you with your letter. If you have inadequate serum levels, your options may be limited.

Good luck.

[lucy884 3]

Not sure if this will work. However, it may strengthen your position if you are able to get serological testing of your blood to see if you have adequate serum antibody levels against MMR. If you already have adequate serum levels, that documentation may help you with your letter. If you have inadequate serum levels, your options may be limited.

Good luck.

Thank you for this suggestion, I'll definitely look into that when I'm back in the UK. Eek.

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

Did you have the full range of jabs as a kid? It sounds like it if your reaction was at 4 years old, when usually the last of the MMR jabs are given. If so, you wouldn't need a booster anyway. See if you can get your childhood immunisation records.

If not, and since it seems you have a potentially lethal reaction to the jab, I think you are one of the few people having a good chance of a waiver. They are expensive and time consuming though.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

If so, do you think if I got a letter from my consultant explaining my condition that I would be allowed to bypass this particular jab at the medical?

Absolutely! If your doctor verifies you have a medical condition that precludes you from having an immunization, then you are eligible for a blanket waiver. Your sheet will be marked "not medically appropriate" and you are excused from the shot. That is one of the acceptable reasons.

A blanket waiver is one you do not apply for. The officer who reviews your medical sheet at AOS time just grants it. The one Penguin is speaking of is a waiver sought on religious or moral opposition to immunizations in general. You don't need that kind of waiver.

[lucy884 3]

Thank you for your replies Nich-Nick and Penguin!

I will ask my consultant about a letter, definitely, and whether doing any antibodies testing would be useful too. I'm glad there's such a thing as a blanket waiver for this and Nich-Nick, thanks for the information about what they will put on the sheet too. Just a follow up question though since you mentioned AOS - will the US officer respect my doctor's letter or will they insist on their own testing/assessment? I have to admit that as I'm still at the very beginning of the K1 journey I haven't read a lot into AOS just yet but do you think this is going to be a problem when I get to it, or should the jab being marked as 'not medically appropriate' be all I have to deal with?

Penguin, to answer your questions, I was given the full range of jabs as a child. I'm not sure if I was supposed to have a booster later on but I didn't because of my reaction. But you're right, it is potentially lethal, that's why I'm scared of this! But all seems like it'll be straightforward to avoid, thankfully.

Thanks again for all your help.

[Holly2234 66]

Like everyone else said with the waivers, that is the way to go if you are unable to have the jab. Did you have the first MMR at 13 months old? And then the second one at 4? If you had both, you will be fine. Thats all thats required for MMR. If you had all of the other routine vaccinations as a child you will be fine. The only thing that you may need to have again is the Tdap. Tetanus and Diphtheria. That has to be done every 10 years. Also the flu jab if your medical and interview is during the months of October to March (I think its those months, somebody correct me if im wrong)

Edited May 21, 2012 by Holly2234

[lucy884 3]

Like everyone else said with the waivers, that is the way to go if you are unable to have the jab. Did you have the first MMR at 13 months old? And then the second one at 4? If you had both, you will be fine. Thats all thats required for MMR. If you had all of the other routine vaccinations as a child you will be fine. The only thing that you may need to have again is the Tdap. Tetanus and Diphtheria. That has to be done every 10 years. Also the flu jab if your medical and interview is during the months of October to March (I think its those months, somebody correct me if im wrong)

I'll have to check to see if I had both as a child - all I know is that I first became sick with the condition when I was around 4 or 5 and it was after having the MMR. When I'm back in the UK, I'll get my immunisation records and definite answers. Thanks for making me aware that the original could have been at 13 months, I didn't know that! Fingers crossed I already had the original and the booster!

This thread has made me feel so much better about this, thank you everyone

[Holly2234 66]

I only just found out when the MMR's are too because my daughter just had her first one last week. Its 13 months and 3.5 years when theyre due, but obviously some people have them a bit later whenever they get chance or whatever. A doctor or nurse at your GP's or even the receptionist can bring up your vaccination records so it wont be difficult to find out Heres to hoping you've had both!

[lucy884 3]

I only just found out when the MMR's are too because my daughter just had her first one last week. Its 13 months and 3.5 years when theyre due, but obviously some people have them a bit later whenever they get chance or whatever. A doctor or nurse at your GP's or even the receptionist can bring up your vaccination records so it wont be difficult to find out Heres to hoping you've had both!

Thank you Holly!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I'll have to check to see if I had both as a child - all I know is that I first became sick with the condition when I was around 4 or 5 and it was after having the MMR. When I'm back in the UK, I'll get my immunisation records and definite answers. Thanks for making me aware that the original could have been at 13 months, I didn't know that! Fingers crossed I already had the original and the booster!

This thread has made me feel so much better about this, thank you everyone

It doesn't matter if you had a booster or not. It is not medically appropriate (contraindicated) for you to get MMR. You will be excused. Here's details about MMR from the CDC (the people who make up the immunization schedules you have to follow). http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-mmr.pdf

Read part 3, especially the part at the top of page 2.

And this is from the technical instructions on immunizations for immigration:

•Reviewing any incomplete vaccination series to determine if eligible for a blanket waiver.

A blanket waiver is a waiver that is applied uniformly to a group of conditions and does not require a separate waiver application or fee to be filed with USCIS. In many cases, it might not be medically appropriate to administer a dose of a particular vaccine. Four "Not Medically Appropriate" categories are acceptable when determining an applicant's eligibility for a blanket waiver.

The four "Not Medically Appropriate" categories are—

◦Not age appropriate

For each vaccine for which administration is not age appropriate, the "Not age appropriate" waiver box must be checked. For all applicants, this box will need to be checked for at least one vaccine. For example, infants and adults do not need meningococcal vaccine, and adults do not need Hib vaccine.

◦Contraindication

If an applicant has contraindications to specific vaccines, the "Contraindication" waiver box for that vaccine must be checked.

◦Insufficient time interval between doses

If the minimum time interval between the last documented dose and the next required dose has not passed, the "Insufficient time interval" waiver box for that vaccine must be checked.

If administration of the single dose of a vaccine at the time of the medical examination does not complete the series for that vaccine, the "Insufficient time interval" waiver box must be checked to indicate that additional doses will be needed to complete the series for that vaccine.

◦Not flu season

Influenza vaccine is required during the influenza (flu) season. The flu season usually occurs during fall and continues through early spring. In general, influenza activity peaks from December to March. The vaccine should be offered beginning in September and throughout the influenza season. The "Not fall (flu) season" waiver box must be checked at other times of the year.

[lucy884 3]

It doesn't matter if you had a booster or not. It is not medically appropriate (contraindicated) for you to get MMR. You will be excused. Here's details about MMR from the CDC (the people who make up the immunization schedules you have to follow). http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-mmr.pdf

Read part 3, especially the part at the top of page 2.

And this is from the technical instructions on immunizations for immigration:

•Reviewing any incomplete vaccination series to determine if eligible for a blanket waiver.

A blanket waiver is a waiver that is applied uniformly to a group of conditions and does not require a separate waiver application or fee to be filed with USCIS. In many cases, it might not be medically appropriate to administer a dose of a particular vaccine. Four "Not Medically Appropriate" categories are acceptable when determining an applicant's eligibility for a blanket waiver.

The four "Not Medically Appropriate" categories are—

◦Not age appropriate

For each vaccine for which administration is not age appropriate, the "Not age appropriate" waiver box must be checked. For all applicants, this box will need to be checked for at least one vaccine. For example, infants and adults do not need meningococcal vaccine, and adults do not need Hib vaccine.

◦Contraindication

If an applicant has contraindications to specific vaccines, the "Contraindication" waiver box for that vaccine must be checked.

◦Insufficient time interval between doses

If the minimum time interval between the last documented dose and the next required dose has not passed, the "Insufficient time interval" waiver box for that vaccine must be checked.

If administration of the single dose of a vaccine at the time of the medical examination does not complete the series for that vaccine, the "Insufficient time interval" waiver box must be checked to indicate that additional doses will be needed to complete the series for that vaccine.

◦Not flu season

Influenza vaccine is required during the influenza (flu) season. The flu season usually occurs during fall and continues through early spring. In general, influenza activity peaks from December to March. The vaccine should be offered beginning in September and throughout the influenza season. The "Not fall (flu) season" waiver box must be checked at other times of the year.

This is so incredibly helpful, thank you very much! I might even print that pdf and take it to my doctor - just in case! Not that they would have any qualms about writing a letter but it's good to be informed. Thank you again Nich-Nick

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

This is so incredibly helpful, thank you very much! I might even print that pdf and take it to my doctor - just in case! Not that they would have any qualms about writing a letter but it's good to be informed. Thank you again Nich-Nick

Take the pdf to Knightsbridge because they are the ones who need to tick the waiver box. Take a letter from your specialist detailing your auto-immunune condition and management, because the Knightsbridge doctors will want to know more about any medical conditions you have. And get your doctor to write that it is his medical opinion that a MMR jab is contraindicated for you.

When my daughter was 18, her platelet count dropped to 4,000 and she was hospitalized and put on steroids after having bone marrow extracted to rule out leukemia and similar. The hematologist said even though normal platelet count should be 150,000 to 400,000, the platelets are very efficient and 50,000 would make him happy. It was diagnosed as ITP, but she was screened later by a rheumatologist to rule out lupus and such. She never had another incident and her count returned to normal within a short time. We don't know the cause.

[lucy884 3]

Take the pdf to Knightsbridge because they are the ones who need to tick the waiver box. Take a letter from your specialist detailing your auto-immunune condition and management, because the Knightsbridge doctors will want to know more about any medical conditions you have. And get your doctor to write that it is his medical opinion that a MMR jab is contraindicated for you.

When my daughter was 18, her platelet count dropped to 4,000 and she was hospitalized and put on steroids after having bone marrow extracted to rule out leukemia and similar. The hematologist said even though normal platelet count should be 150,000 to 400,000, the platelets are very efficient and 50,000 would make him happy. It was diagnosed as ITP, but she was screened later by a rheumatologist to rule out lupus and such. She never had another incident and her count returned to normal within a short time. We don't know the cause.

ITP is the condition I have. The doctors weren't sure what caused it (hence the idiopathic part) but I pretty much figured it out for myself over the years. I was first sick with it after the MMR as a child, and the two times I was sick with it during my teen years were within a week of taking a course of antibiotics. The doctors agreed with me that it looked likely to be an allergic reaction, so they've logged it in my notes etc. Nowadays my platelets are around the 80,000 mark, which is lower than normal, but doesn't affect me day to day thankfully. The worst incident was when I was 18, same age as your daughter - they dropped to 1,000 I think at one point. Somehow, I avoided a blood transfusion and splenectomy and the steroids made me better

Your advice on this has been really invaluable to me, I'll make sure this is one of the first things I sort out when I get back to England in a couple of weeks.