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Immunization Information

COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement for Students

We are requiring all Lesley undergraduate, graduate students and Threshold students who study, work or live on campus to be up to date on vaccinations against the COVID-19 virus. Information is available at vaxfinder.mass.gov for Massachusetts locations offering vaccine boosters. All medical or religious exemption requests are processed through Student Health Service. Students should go to Lesley.Medicatconnect.com to complete their documentation, and employees should contact the Office of Human Resources with any questions.

Submitting Proof of Immunization

  • All documents are submitted to: Lesley.Medicatconnect.com
  • If you are registered to attend a residency or course on campus or are considering coming to campus for any reason, you must first submit immunization documentation by the following date and then receive written approval from Student Health Service that you are clear to be on campus before coming to campus.
  • To help ensure we receive your complete documentation, and that we will have adequate time to review it and/or request additional information without it impacting your scheduled time to be on campus, please review the following information carefully and plan in advance.
  • Without the required documents, and written approval to be on campus from Student Health Service, you will not be able to come to campus. Note: if you were approved to be on campus for this past Summer, or for Fall 2021, you do not need to submit this information again.  We ask that you only submit any updates.
  • You must upload your COVID-19 vaccination card and complete documentation for all the required immunizations, along with proof of a current flu vaccine when it becomes available in the Fall.
  • In order to be considered up to date on your COVID-19 immunization requirements you must receive:
    • the primary series: 2 doses of Pfizer or Moderna, or 1 dose of J&J (*) and the COVID-19 booster when eligible.
    • You will not be considered up to date or cleared to be on campus until at least 2 weeks after your 2nd dose.

* For international students: any WHO approved COVID-19 vaccine. 

 

  • Undergraduate Students: First-year, Transfer, and International

    Log in to Lesley.Medicatconnect.com to complete the required online forms and upload required immunization documents.

    Summary of Immunization Requirements

    • COVID-19: Two doses of Pfizer or Moderna, or one dose of J&J (international students may receive any WHO approved COVID-19 vaccine)
    • COVID-19 booster: when eligible
    • MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella):  Two doses, or a positive serological test result showing immunity. Exempt if born in the U.S. before 1957.
    • Tdap:  One dose given within last 10 years
    • Varicella:  Two doses or medical documentation that you had chicken pox; or a positive serological test result showing immunity.  Exempt if born in the U.S. before 1980.
    • Hepatitis B:  Three doses or a positive serological test showing immunity.
    • Influenza: Required of all residential undergraduates and Threshold program students as soon as available in the Fall semester. Strongly encouraged for all students, faculty and staff.  We will have an on-campus flu clinic.
    • Meningococcus: Newly enrolled students 21 years of age and younger must provide documentation of having received a dose of quadrivalent meningococcal conjugated vaccine on or after their 16th birthday. 

    For questions regarding immunization requirements you may email Student Health Service at SHS@Lesley.edu.

  • Graduate, Adult Learners (LCAL), and Bachelor’s Degree Completion Students

    Log in to Lesley.Medicatconnect.com to complete the required online forms and upload required immunization documents.

    Summary of Immunization Requirements

    • COVID-19: Two doses of Pfizer or Moderna, or one dose of J&J (international students may receive any WHO approved COVID-19 vaccine)
    • COVID-19 booster: when eligible
    • MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella):  Two doses, or a positive serological test result showing immunity. Exempt if born in the U.S. before 1957.
    • Tdap:  One dose given within last 10 years
    • Varicella:  Two doses or medical documentation that you had chicken pox; or a positive serological test result showing immunity.  Exempt if born in the U.S. before 1980.
    • Hepatitis B:  Three doses or a positive serological test showing immunity.
    • Influenza: Strongly encouraged for all students, faculty and staff. 
    • Meningococcus: Newly enrolled students 21 years of age and younger must provide documentation of having received a dose of quadrivalent meningococcal conjugated vaccine on or after their 16th birthday. 

Immunizations Required by Massachusetts Law

Full-time undergraduate and graduate students and all international students are legally required to submit proof of immunization from several diseases to be able to attend college in the state of Massachusetts. However, because we are in a pandemic, we have decided as an institution to require all students coming to campus for any length of time to show proof of the state-mandated immunizations.

Log in to Lesley.Medicatconnect.com to complete the required online forms and upload required immunization documents.

Summary of Immunization Requirements

  • COVID-19: 2 doses of Pfizer or Moderna, or 1 dose of J&J (international students may receive any WHO approved COVID-19 vaccine)
  • COVID-19 booster: when eligible
  • MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella):  Two doses, or a positive serological test result showing immunity. Exempt if born in the U.S. before 1957.
  • Tdap:  One dose given within last 10 years
  • Varicella:  Two doses or medical documentation that you had chicken pox; or a positive serological test result showing immunity.  Exempt if born in the U.S. before 1980.
  • Hepatitis B:  Three doses or a positive serological test showing immunity.
  • Influenza: Required of all residential undergraduates and Threshold program students as soon as available in the Fall semester. Strongly encouraged for all students, faculty and staff.  We will have an on-campus flu clinic.
  • Meningococcus: Newly enrolled students 21 years of age and younger must provide documentation of having received a dose of quadrivalent meningococcal conjugated vaccine on or after their 16th birthday. 
  • Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR)

    Two vaccines are given after the first birthday, and at least one month apart, or a positive serological test for all these diseases are required. If you were born before 1957, you don’t require any vaccines or tests.

  • Tetanus Diphtheria Pertussis (Tdap)

    One vaccine administered within the last 10 years and remaining valid for the duration of your full-time studies is required. There is no test to prove immunity to tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough).

  • Hepatitis B

    A series of three immunizations where the second dose is given no sooner than one month after the first dose and the third dose is given no sooner than five months after the second dose. A serological test showing positive immunity to Hepatitis B is an acceptable alternative.

  • Chicken Pox/Varicella

    Two doses of vaccine, given at least one month apart; or the date of diagnosed illness; or immunity demonstrated by a serological test. If you were born before 1980, you don’t need an immunization or a test.

  • Meningococcal vaccine for bacterial Meningitis

    If you’ll be living on campus, you‘re required to document that you’ve had the vaccine within five years, or sign the Meningococcal Student Waiver stating that you understand the risks and choose not to receive the vaccine.

Other Immunization Requirements

In addition to the state-mandated immunization requirements listed above, all Lesley undergraduate and graduate students who will be on campus for any reason are required to:

  • complete the Tuberculosis screening questionnaire which can be found on the patient portal: Lesley.Medicatconnect.com.
  • Residential undergraduates are required to submit proof of receiving the influenza vaccine when available in the Fall.
  • All other students are strongly encouraged to receive the influenza vaccine in the Fall when available.
  • Tuberculosis (TB) Risk Assessment

    Log in to Lesley.Medicatconnect.com to complete a TB Screening Questionnaire. 

    Upon completion of this questionnaire, students requiring additional screening will be directed to a TB Risk Assessment Form which must be completed, signed and dated by a licensed healthcare provider.

    Student will then upload this completed TB Risk assessment form into the patient portal: Lesley.Medicatconnect.com.

  • Flu Shots (influenza vaccine)

    All residential undergraduate students are required to submit proof of a current flu shot.

    All other students are strongly encouraged to also receive the flu shot.

    Being protected against the flu is especially important because flu and COVID-19 symptoms can be similar.

Medical and Religious Exemptions from Immunizations      

You may be considered exempt from the Massachusetts College Immunization Law if one of the following applies to you:

  • Medical exemption – if a physician submits documentation attesting that an immunization is medically contraindicated
     
  • Religious exemption – if a student submits a written personal statement explaining how immunizations conflict with their sincere religious beliefs

All requests for medical or religious exemption must be submitted for consideration and go through an approval process. Please understand that you must provide a reasonable detailed explanation of how you are at medical risk or how an immunization conflicts with your religious beliefs. It is not sufficient to state that an immunization “puts me at risk medically” or “conflicts with my sincerely held religious beliefs."

  • Regarding medical and religious exemptions
    • Massachusetts law does not allow philosophical exemptions, even if signed by a physician.
       
    • Only medical and religious exemptions are acceptable.
       
    • Exemptions must be kept in the students’ files.
       
    • If an outbreak of measles, mumps, or rubella should occur on campus, you will be considered susceptible and required to remain off campus.
       
    • Immunization records or titer results may fulfill the immunization requirements and prevent exclusion from the campus in the event of an outbreak.
       
    • Please review the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Immunization Exemption Guidelines (doc).
  • Applying for an exemption from immunizations

    Log in to Lesley.Medicatconnect.com to download the Lesley University Exemption Request Form.

    Medical Exemption Requests – have your physician complete a section of the Exemption Request Form attesting that a specific immunization is medically contraindicated.  The name of the vaccine that is medically contraindicated and the reason for the contraindication must be included.

    Religious Exemption Requests– submit a written personal statement explaining in detail how immunizations conflict with your sincere religious beliefs.  Sign and date your statement.

    Complete your section of the form, check all the required boxes, sign and date the form.

    Upload completed forms and documentation of any prior immunizations to Lesley.Medicatconnect.com.

    Prior childhood or adult immunization records or titers must also be uploaded. 

    A titer is a blood (serologic) test, which demonstrates the level of immunity to measles, mumps, rubella; chickenpox; and hepatitis B and may be submitted as an alternate if you’re unable to locate your immunization records. 

    There is no test to prove immunity to tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough), so you’ll need to have a Tdap to fulfill the Massachusetts State Immunization requirements.

    • Each exemption request will be considered on a case-by-case basis and you will be notified of the decision.
    • Requests must be submitted annually.

Places to Get Vaccines in Cambridge

If you’re in the Boston area and you don’t have a primary care provider, but you require immunizations, the following locations provide vaccines.

Remember to take your health insurance card to your appointment. There may be fees for vaccines, so we recommend calling ahead to find out how much your insurance will cover.

Contacts for Immunization Inquiries
All Students can contact Nathaniel Mays, Dean of Student Life and Academic Development
29 Everett St, Cambridge, MA 02138
617.868.9600