Meningitis Vaccine Requirement

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Requirement
Texas Senate Bill 1107, passed in May 2011, requires all students entering a public, private, or independent institution of higher education in Texas as of January 2012 and thereafter to provide documentation that they have had a meningococcal (bacterial meningitis) vaccine or “booster” dose – within five years of the first class day of the semester they will enter that institution and no later than 10 days before the first day of classes in that same semester.
After you have been admitted AND you have chosen to come to Texarkana College, you must submit documentation to the office of Admissions that you have complied with the following requirement. Failure to do so may affect your registration.
Compliance and Exemption
Check your shot records. You may need a second shot to comply. To ensure that your registration is not affected please submit your documentation to Texarkana College as soon as you are admitted AND have decided to come to Texarkana College, but at least two weeks before your intended registration date (even if that date is during a new student orientation).
Acceptable Documentation
Acceptable documentation includes:
- the signature or stamp of a physician or his/her designee or public health personnel on a form that shows the month, day, and year the vaccination or booster dose was administered;
- an official immunization record generated from a state or local health authority that includes the same information as above; or
- an official record received from school officials, including a record from another state, that includes the same information as above.
If you are exempt due to medical reasons, you must provide the following documentation:
- You, or your parent or guardian if you are a minor, must submit an affidavit or a certificate signed by a physician who is licensed to practice medicine in the United States, which states that, in the physician’s opinion, the meningococcal vaccine would be injurious to your health and well-being.
- In the event that your physician is not available to complete the form, https://co-request-jc.dshs.texas.gov/. Completing the exemption form will help to expedite your registration.
Documentation must be in English and include your full name and date of birth. Write your Texarkana College STUDENT ID NUMBER on all pages of your documentation before submitting it.
Getting the Meningitis Vaccine
You can get the meningococcal vaccine at most doctor’s offices and private clinics, many large pharmacy chains, and some minor emergency centers or medi-clinics. Call in advance to see whether they offer the vaccine, require an appointment, and take your insurance.
If you have Medicaid or CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Plan), please contact your established healthcare provider as your first option.
If you are uninsured or your insurance will not cover the meningococcal vaccine:
- If you are 18 or younger, you might qualify for the Texas Vaccines for Children Program. Call the United Way’s referral helpline, by dialing 211, to find healthcare providers in your area who participate in this program.
- Many Texas city/county health departments offer free or low-cost meningococcal vaccine as part of children and adult immunization programs. Call to confirm that they offer the meningococcal vaccine for someone your age and in your circumstances. These services are ONLY for those without insurance or whose insurance does not cover the cost of the vaccine.
“Full Service” City/County Health Departments in Texas
Booster Shots Needed After Five Years: If it has been more than five years since you had your vaccine, you will need a booster shot prior to the first class day of the semester in which you entering Texarkana College. Click on the following link for more information:
Meningococcal vaccine: who needs to be vaccinated? (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Texarkana College in conjunction with Christus St. Michael’s will offer the meningitis vaccine at a discounted rate of $68.00 (cash or check only) in the Christus St. Michael’s Mobile Go Unit in the Nelson Administration Building parking lot. Please check back for available dates.
Students can also contact Christus St. Michael’s at 903.748.8573 and set up individual appointments to meet the mobile go unit. Please leave a message if no one answers and they will call you back.

Contact Us for More Information
For more information on the Meningitis Vaccine Requirement, contact our Enrollment Services office at 903-823-3012 or email Brandon Higgins at brandon.higgins@texarkanacollege.edu.