Immunizations
May 24th 2002, 10:20 am
#16
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Immunizations
I haven't undergo the medical exam yet but I 've been looking into this. I'm in
Slovenia so I'm not sure about in what ways the vaccination requirements may differ
from other countries. All I know is that the health plan is pretty good and I think I
have all of the required vaccination. I talked about it with my family doctor and I
have a record (a little booklet with vaccinations that I had). So basically I had
measles, mumps and rubella shots as well as deptheria and tetanus (plus others like
polio and pertussis). Varicella is not (yet) done in Slovenia either, but I had
varicella when I was 11 or 12 years old so I'm immune anyway...
Now I was wondering how the panel physician will know for example that I already had
the illness since he is not my doctor and has no records whatsoever about me? To make
things more complicated I will be dealing with a doctor in another country (Croatia)
because my country doesn't issue the type of visa (K1) but Croatia does it for
Slovene (and Bosnian) citizens in this case. This doctor is likely to be croatian and
I'll tell you that my knowledge of the language is poor so I'm worried about our
communication a little - they will probably think I'm stupid or something. I have no
idea how things are in Croatia with medical plan and stuff... it's also strange
because I can go to US on visa waiver as a Slovene citizen but I know that in Croatia
you need a visitor visa... I don't know - it just doesn't make sense to me why I
can't get a K1 done in my own country like most normal people?
M
Slovenia so I'm not sure about in what ways the vaccination requirements may differ
from other countries. All I know is that the health plan is pretty good and I think I
have all of the required vaccination. I talked about it with my family doctor and I
have a record (a little booklet with vaccinations that I had). So basically I had
measles, mumps and rubella shots as well as deptheria and tetanus (plus others like
polio and pertussis). Varicella is not (yet) done in Slovenia either, but I had
varicella when I was 11 or 12 years old so I'm immune anyway...
Now I was wondering how the panel physician will know for example that I already had
the illness since he is not my doctor and has no records whatsoever about me? To make
things more complicated I will be dealing with a doctor in another country (Croatia)
because my country doesn't issue the type of visa (K1) but Croatia does it for
Slovene (and Bosnian) citizens in this case. This doctor is likely to be croatian and
I'll tell you that my knowledge of the language is poor so I'm worried about our
communication a little - they will probably think I'm stupid or something. I have no
idea how things are in Croatia with medical plan and stuff... it's also strange
because I can go to US on visa waiver as a Slovene citizen but I know that in Croatia
you need a visitor visa... I don't know - it just doesn't make sense to me why I
can't get a K1 done in my own country like most normal people?
M
May 24th 2002, 11:20 am
#17
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Immunizations
In article <[email protected]>, Ameriscot
<[email protected]> wrote:
> Donna, very rational points, but not sure if that is actually the policy for the UK
> panel physician - he is able to prescribe the Hep B vaccine, but it's not required
> for the visa. It's only given to people with high risk behaviour or occupations in
> the UK - which is a lot of people. It is not a childhood vaccination in the UK, nor
> is there any public discussion of it.
>
> But, yes, there is certainly a relationship between childhood vaccinations and INS
> requirements.
>
> In the US, AFAIK, Hep B is a now required for children in 2nd Grade and lower
> (Ohio, for sure, but probably most states). Varicella is not yet a requirement, but
> is expected to be soon.
I know this is weird, and I'm explaining it badly.
In the US, the hepatitis B vaccine is recommended to be given to:
1. newborns, at birth, followed by 2 or 3 doses later
2. adults at high risk
Thus the INS, in order to assure that an immigrant's vaccinations are equivalent to
a native born American's, currently "requires" a child to have the Hepatitis B shot,
but doesn't require it of an an adult. That's because most adults here haven't had
it either.
So when the UK doctor says it's not required for the visa for an adult, it's because
of this odd age thing. He would probably offer the vaccine to a child, since it's
"required" for school in the US, even though it's not recommended in the UK and we
don't know yet whether he child will become a nurse or IV drug abuser.
One woud hope that the varicella vaccine NEVER ends up being "required" for school.
It's considered an economic vaccine: now that every mother is supposed to have a job,
it's assumed that she can't afford to stay home if the kids get sick.
My worry is that, like the measles, it won't convey lifetime immunity and there will
be adult epidemics followed by revaccination. However, with so many kids vaccinated,
it's harder to get the real disease these days. And I've intentionally exposed my
kids twice with no luck.
in any case, the INS seems to look for nothing but the doctor's signature on the
form, and not tally each vaccination separately. If you choose to decline a vaccine
and the doctor signs the form anyway, which is quite likely if you have a good
reason, that's the end of your worries.
If you have problems getting your kids into school without the vaccines, just tell
them you're Christian Scientists. A "religious exemption" is always available. Works
for the INS, too.
-Donna
<[email protected]> wrote:
> Donna, very rational points, but not sure if that is actually the policy for the UK
> panel physician - he is able to prescribe the Hep B vaccine, but it's not required
> for the visa. It's only given to people with high risk behaviour or occupations in
> the UK - which is a lot of people. It is not a childhood vaccination in the UK, nor
> is there any public discussion of it.
>
> But, yes, there is certainly a relationship between childhood vaccinations and INS
> requirements.
>
> In the US, AFAIK, Hep B is a now required for children in 2nd Grade and lower
> (Ohio, for sure, but probably most states). Varicella is not yet a requirement, but
> is expected to be soon.
I know this is weird, and I'm explaining it badly.
In the US, the hepatitis B vaccine is recommended to be given to:
1. newborns, at birth, followed by 2 or 3 doses later
2. adults at high risk
Thus the INS, in order to assure that an immigrant's vaccinations are equivalent to
a native born American's, currently "requires" a child to have the Hepatitis B shot,
but doesn't require it of an an adult. That's because most adults here haven't had
it either.
So when the UK doctor says it's not required for the visa for an adult, it's because
of this odd age thing. He would probably offer the vaccine to a child, since it's
"required" for school in the US, even though it's not recommended in the UK and we
don't know yet whether he child will become a nurse or IV drug abuser.
One woud hope that the varicella vaccine NEVER ends up being "required" for school.
It's considered an economic vaccine: now that every mother is supposed to have a job,
it's assumed that she can't afford to stay home if the kids get sick.
My worry is that, like the measles, it won't convey lifetime immunity and there will
be adult epidemics followed by revaccination. However, with so many kids vaccinated,
it's harder to get the real disease these days. And I've intentionally exposed my
kids twice with no luck.
in any case, the INS seems to look for nothing but the doctor's signature on the
form, and not tally each vaccination separately. If you choose to decline a vaccine
and the doctor signs the form anyway, which is quite likely if you have a good
reason, that's the end of your worries.
If you have problems getting your kids into school without the vaccines, just tell
them you're Christian Scientists. A "religious exemption" is always available. Works
for the INS, too.
-Donna
