Measles and rubella on campus: how far have we come?

Abstract

Abstract Outbreaks of measles and rubella continue to occur on college campuses. In 1984, 67 cases of measles occurred on 17 campuses. During the first 19 weeks of 1985, 28% of all measles cases reported in the U.S. occurred on college campuses. In 1983 and 1984, 6 rubella outbreaks occurred on the nation's campuses. During 1984, rubella cases on campuses accounted for 13% of all rubella cases reported in the U.S. A survey of 1,861 of the nation's 3,600 colleges and universities in early 1984 showed that only 16% had immunization requirements. Significant progress has been made in the development of state laws and regulations and school requirements. Despite the absence of supporting evidence, many colleges remain uncertain towards adopting immunization policies for fear of losing students or the increased cost of the administrative effort.