Communicable Disease and Immunization Policy
Definition
A communicable disease is defined as any condition which is transmitted directly or indirectly to a person from an infected person or animal. A communicable disease includes, but is not limited to, coronavirus; influenza; tuberculosis; infectious mononucleosis; acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and positive HIV antibody status; hepatitis A, B, C, and D; meningitis; pertussis; mumps; measles; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS); sexually transmitted infections; and certain tropical diseases.
Purpose
The objective of this policy is to promote the health and physical safety of students as well as the Wheaton community, and to articulate the boundaries around when information regarding a communicable disease and/or immunization status may be shared with others.
Policy
Students are required to comply with Wheaton College medical entrance requirements and the State of Illinois immunization laws, found in the Illinois College Student Immunization Act at 110 ILCS 20.
Under this law, students must receive all required immunizations unless they provide a certificate of medical exemption or statement of religious objection. However, students with medical exemptions or religious exemptions may be required to leave the Wheaton College campus in the event a communicable disease that is vaccine-preventable presents on campus as described below.
Students must inform Student Health Services if they believe they may have a communicable disease, whether or not they are symptomatic. Students with a communicable disease, in consultation with Student Health Services, may be allowed regular in-person classroom attendance, co-curricular involvement, and work attendance in a non-restrictive manner if they are medically proven to not pose a threat for transmission of the disease.
When, as recommended by Student Health Services, there is a medical justification for restricting students who have or are suspected of having a communicable disease from accessing College buildings and/or activities to help prevent the spread of the disease, Student Health Services will require the students to remain quarantined in their living spaces or in a designated isolation space on campus for a specified amount of time with instructions about meal delivery and/or meal pickup.
When there is a medical justification, Student Health Services may also require students to complete medical testing.
Medical information—that is, specific information regarding clinical treatment or diagnosis—related to communicable diseases of students shall be kept confidential and shared only with employees with a work-related need to know the medical information. Medical information will only be released beyond those employees with a need to know after a specific written consent is signed by the student unless providing such information is required by state and/or federal law. Information such as quarantine status, compliance with public health expectations and protocols, or required mask status is not considered medical information for the purposes of this policy. The College recognizes that vaccination status is sensitive information, and will generally retain vaccination status information in the same manner as medical information as described above, with the following additional uses:
- In the aggregate, to make public health decisions within the guidance of this policy; and
- At the individual level, to determine whether a student must complete entry and/or periodic testing; inform individual treatment decisions at Student Health Services; determine appropriate isolation and quarantine procedures after exposure or a positive test result; and/or make medical/disability accommodation decisions.
Student noncompliance with Wheaton College public health expectations and protocols is not considered confidential medical information. The implications of such non-compliance may necessitate communication to College employees who need to know the implications of non-compliance to protect the public health of the campus community.
The President of the College, or person(s) designated by the President:
- Shall take responsibility for designing and implementing procedures in keeping with the Communicable Disease and Immunization Policy;
- Has the authority to exclude from campus (or to take any other action considered appropriate with respect to) anyone who has or who is suspected of having a communicable disease, and/or who fails to comply with the implementation of communicable disease procedures to prevent its spread;
- May make any decisions relating to whether the College should be closed or its programs and/or services modified, based on consultation with guidance from the County Health Department, State Health Department, the Centers for Disease Control as well as other relevant sources; and
- Is required to report the existence of certain communicable diseases to the County and State Health Department.