August 17 , 2007

New Mumps Vaccination Program Launched

Nova Scotia is experiencing its third outbreak of mumps since 2005.  The majority of mumps cases have been in young adults with almost 40% being university students.  Please read a copy of a letter from Dr. Robert Strang, Deputy Provincial Medical Officer for Health (Nova Scotia) and a copy of the MMR Vaccination Program for Post Secondary Student, Information for Students. 

Letter from Dr. Robert Strang (PDF)

Information for Students - Nova Scotia Health Promotion and Protection (PDF)

Please review this material carefully. 

If you have questions that are not answered in this information, please call the provincial Mumps Hotline at 902-481-5800 or 1-877-NSMUMPS

or visit http://www.gov.ns.ca/hpp/mumps/

All students are encouraged to visit their family doctor to receive/discuss the MMR vaccine before arriving at AST in September as it takes about two weeks after receiving the vaccine for the vaccine to provide immunity to measles, mumps and rubella.  The vaccine is to be provided free of charge from family doctors in Nova Scotia.  (If you live outside of Nova Scotia, please check with your provincial department of health to find out if the vaccine is provided free of charge from your province's family doctors.)  

If you are not able to visit your family doctor to receive/discuss the MMR vaccine, AST students are encouraged see one of the doctors at Saint Mary's University's Student Health Services (4th Floor of the Student Union Building).  Please call 420-5611 to book an appointment.  You will need to bring your provincial medical card to the apppointment.  There is no charge for the vaccination provided through SMU's Student Health Services.  The appointment will take about 5 minutes.  

Saint Mary's University's Student Health Services is also providing immunization clinics for SMU and AST students on these dates:
August 24 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
September 7 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
September 14 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 

All clinics will be held at SMU's Student Health Services (4th Floor of the Student Union Building).  Students will need to book an appointment for the MMR clinics on August 24, September 7 and September 14.  Please call 420-5611 to book your appointment.  You will need to bring your provincial medical card to the apppointment.  There is no charge for the vaccination provided through SMU's Student Health Services.  The appointment will take about 5 minutes.  

If you have any questions about this notice, please do not hesitate to contact the Academic Office at (902) 423-5592.