Flu Vaccine
Flu Vaccination Information
University of California flu vaccine requirement
According to the “Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Program” attachment within the UC Policy on Vaccination Programs, all covered students, faculty, other academic appointees and staff are required to get vaccinated against influenza or opt out. The deadline to provide this information to UCR is January 31, 2023.
While the requirement applies to those who will be living, learning, or working on campus, all members of the campus community - and their families - are strongly encouraged to get the flu vaccination. Those employees with an approved 100% remote work agreement on file do not need to submit their vaccine status.
How to provide your flu vaccine information to campus
Please note that your Medical Clearances record will show as "non-compliant" until you either provide your flu vaccine information or indicate you have declined the seasonal flu vaccine as instructed below.
Starting in December, all employees have access to the Student Health Center’s immunization record system. Employees can log into the portal via standard campus multifactor authentication (MFA). This secure system is isolated to only information provided by the employee and does not connect to other health records an employee may have at other healthcare locations.
Employees and Students
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Employees
Employees
- Click on the patient portal link: Patient portal.
- Click on the third blue box “View My Medical Clearances/Vaccination Records” in the center of the page
- On the next screen, Click the green “Update” button in the “Influenza Immunization” section
- Enter the date you received your flu vaccine and select “Flu whole (Influenza - Seasonal)” in the drop-down menu.
- Click “Done” and your information will be saved. You do not need to upload a copy of your flu vaccination record.
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Students
Student
For any questions/contact submit immunization questions and comments through the patient portal. Choose Messages, create New Message and choose the "Immunization Mandate Staff" option.
Student Link: Patient portal- Log in to the patient portal (chconline.ucr.edu) using your UCR NetID
- Go to medical clearances section
- Choose influenza vaccine
- Click on add immunization button.
- Enter the date and type of flu vaccine
- Click the done button.
How to Decline the Flu Vaccine
Employees and Students:
NOTE: By declining the seasonal flu vaccination, employees and students must review the flu education information found below and should wear a mask while on campus for the duration of the 2022-2023 influenza season that last until March 2023.
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Employees
Employees
Starting in December, all employees have access to the Student Health Center’s immunization record system. Employees can log into the portal via standard campus multifactor authentication (MFA). This secure system is isolated to only information provided by the employee and does not connect to other health records an employee may have at other healthcare locations.- Click on the patient portal link: Patient portal.
- Click on the third blue box “View My Medical Clearances/Vaccination Records” in the center of the page
- On the next screen, scroll down to the Clearance Exemptions section located at the bottom of the page
- Click on green “Request an Exemption” button. This will take you to the Declination option
- In “select clearance” dropdown list choose Influenza vaccine and click continue
- Select reason and choose “I have elected to decline influenza vaccination for the current academic year.
- Click submit and you will see in the clearance exemption section your approved and processed influenza declination exemption.
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Students
Students
For any questions/contact submit immunization questions and comments through the patient portal. Choose Messages, create New Message and choose the "Immunization Mandate Staff" option.
Student Link: Patient portal
Exemption Declination- Log in to the patient portal (chconline.ucr.edu) using your UCR NetID
- Go to medical clearances section
- Scroll to Clearance Exemptions section located at the bottom of the page
- Click the Request for Exemption button
- In “select clearance” dropdown list choose Influenza vaccine and click continue
- Select reason and choose “I have elected to decline influenza vaccination for the current academic year.”
- Click submit and you will see in the clearance exemption section your approved and processed influenza declination exemption.
Flu Vaccination Information
What are the benefits of getting the flu vaccine?
- It can keep you from getting sick with the flu.
- If you do get the flu after getting the flu vaccine, the symptoms are likely to be less severe.
- Flu vaccination can reduce the risk of flu-associated hospitalization.
- It helps protect the people around you who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness.
- For more information on flu vaccine benefits, see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) website.
Does the flu vaccine work?
According to the CDC, recent studies show that flu vaccines generally reduce the risk of flu illness by between 40% and 60%. This varies from person to person and season to season. Even if someone gets the flu vaccine and still gets the flu, several studies have shown that people who get the flu vaccine do not get as sick as people who do not get the flu vaccine.
For more information on the flu and flu vaccination this season, please visit the CDC Frequently Asked Influenza (Flu) Questions: 2022-2023 Season and the CDC Influenza (Flu) Vaccine Information Statement.
Campus Flu Vaccine Availability
The seasonal influenza vaccine is always highly recommended. Vaccinations are available at local pharmacies and from your medical provider. Flu vaccinations are available at SHS each year for students with USHIP or GSHIP.
Insurance coverage and access to flu shots
All health insurance plans cover influenza vaccinations, though they may place restrictions on where a person can receive the shot for free.
- Students with the University of California Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP) can access the flu vaccine at the Student Health Center with 100% coverage.
- Students without UC SHIP can call the number on the back of their insurance card to be connected to a healthcare provider or location where flu vaccines are covered by their plan.
- Faculty and staff should contact their health care provider to learn where to get their flu vaccine.