Is the Little Red Book of Physical Examination Expired for Studying in the United States?

(Vaccination form issued by Columbia University)

As the start of school approaches, many students are beginning to worry about visas, physical examinations and vaccines. Below I will give you a guide on how to get the physical examination and vaccination before traveling to the United States. After reading this, you will no longer be confused.

Physical Examination & Vaccines

All new students studying in the United States must provide complete vaccination records before attending classes.

Students who fail to provide vaccination records as required by the school will not be allowed to enter the campus. Even if the students are found by the school to have failed to provide complete vaccination records, they will bear legal responsibility. Therefore, generally speaking, when you get an offer from abroad, you need to proceed with the entry-exit health examination and vaccination two days after getting married.

Before introducing vaccination and physical examination strategies, let me first explain the term to you:

Little Red Book: International Travel Health Examination Certificate (the function is to prove that "this physical examination has not Found to be suffering from an infectious disease that may cause significant harm to public health" - "Conclusion" from the last page of the Little Red Book)

Little Yellow Book: International Certificate of Vaccination or Preventive Measures ( There will be all vaccination records on it)

If you want to obtain these two small books, you must go to the international travel health care center in various places for physical examination and vaccination. General hospitals or epidemic prevention departments will not accept them.

Why a physical examination is required

Instructions on health quarantine for entry-exit personnel in the service guidelines of the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China: Persons under the circumstances listed in Article 102 of the Implementing Rules of the Health and Quarantine Law should present a "Health Certificate".

Article 102 of the "Implementation Rules of the Frontier Health and Quarantine Law of the People's Republic of China": All Chinese nationals who apply to leave the country for residence for more than one year must hold a " Health Certificate". The exit and entry management authorities for Chinese citizens handle exit procedures with the "Health Certificate" issued by the health and quarantine authorities.

Why do we need a physical examination

Take the United States as an example. According to American law: “All new students must provide complete vaccination records before they can enroll in classes, otherwise they will not be able to enter the campus. Once a student is found to have failed to provide complete vaccination records, he may bear corresponding legal liability.”

It should be noted that different schools and different states have different vaccination requirements. Mainly to prevent regional epidemics. In other countries, relevant vaccinations and even specific physical examination items will be different. Although universities in some countries provide vaccination services for students, domestic vaccinations are very convenient and cheaper than abroad.

If time permits, it is still recommended to complete the injection at home.

Where to go for physical examination and vaccination?

The first recommendation is your local International Travel Health Centre.

Because it is a one-stop service, you must have a physical examination before getting vaccinated.

After completion, you will be given the "Health Certificate" mentioned above (commonly known as the little red book), which records your physical examination information.

After you are vaccinated, you will be given a "Vaccination Certificate" (commonly known as a small yellow book), which records the vaccines and information you have received. The red book is valid for one year, and the yellow book has no time limit.

What are the physical examination items?

Including general examination items (height, weight, blood pressure, pulse, body temperature screening), internal medicine, surgery, ENT, chest X-ray examination, electrocardiogram, ultrasound examination and laboratory examination items (AIDS testing , syphilis test, hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis C antibody, liver function (ALT or GPT), blood type, blood routine).

What vaccinations are required?

First of all, most foreign schools (mostly American schools) will develop their own physical examination and vaccine forms (hereinafter referred to as "Bring Your Own Form"). Students can request/download them according to the school's guidelines. , the vaccines that need to be injected will be clearly written on the self-brought form.

Please remember to bring your own form during the physical examination. Before the physical examination, you must fully read your own form and fill in the basic information and medical history according to the requirements of the form.

After the physical examination is completed, the doctor will complete the relevant physical examination items and vaccinations for you based on the contents of the self-imposed form.

What are the common vaccines?

MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella): combined measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine.

That is, the trinity vaccine of measles, mumps, and rubella.

*** Two injections are required, and the second injection is a booster injection.

The second dose needs to be injected 1 month apart from the first dose.

So we hope that all students who need to be vaccinated should prepare in advance.

DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus): diphtheria-tetanus pertussis combined vaccine.

The combined vaccine against whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus. Generally, we all received the combined DPT vaccine when we were children. However, the combined DPT vaccine is not effective for life, and is generally effective for about 10 years. So usually a booster shot is enough. Some students in Shanghai received Jingbaipo, which is a strengthened treatment for whooping cough and tetanus.

Hepatitis B: Hepatitis B vaccine.

We also took this shot when we were children, but the hepatitis B vaccine also has an expiration date, usually 10-15 years. Therefore, after the expiration date, the hepatitis B antibodies in our body may be gone (whether they can be detected through physical examination). If not, a new injection is required. Hepatitis B vaccine requires three injections, with the last two injections being booster injections.

The second dose should be separated by 1 month from the first dose, and the third dose should be separated by 6 months from the first dose.

We can see from common vaccines that different vaccines have different vaccination procedures, and some require a certain interval of time to complete the full vaccination.

So please try to start preparations 1-3 months in advance.

If you really miss the best processing time and result in incomplete vaccination or no vaccination at all, you can also contact the school yourself to go abroad for vaccination.

Basic information required for physical examination

Basic information

1. Original and copy of my ID card or passport, and 5 one-inch color photos.

2. If you need to apply for a "little yellow book", or if the school has vaccination requirements, please bring the original and copy of your childhood vaccination record.

3. If you need a doctor to fill out the school physical examination and vaccine forms, please bring the paper version of the form and present it to the doctor at the front desk.

4. If you have a medical history that the school needs to know, or you need to take medicine for a long time, please take the initiative to explain it to the doctor and bring the medical record or diagnosis certificate.

5. Students who need multiple vaccinations must bring the "little yellow book" issued and the vaccination appointment form issued by the doctor for each vaccination.

Notes:

1. Please try to complete the physical examination on an empty stomach in the morning. During peak periods, there are many people on-site for processing, so you need to reserve at least 2 hours for processing.

2. Girls please try to avoid menstruation.

3. Myopic students should try not to wear contact lenses.

4. Students under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a guardian.

5. Be sure to pay attention to whether the doctor signs or stamps it, and indicates the date.

When can I get the small red book and the small yellow book?

Under normal circumstances, the certificate will be issued in the afternoon of the 4th working day.

Please collect the physical examination results according to the specific time indicated on the result receipt issued by the physical examination center after the physical examination. After December 28, 2017, Guangzhou International Travel Health Care Center clarified that no appointment is required for physical examination.

Starting from April 1, 2017, Chinese citizens who have been approved to study abroad for more than one year must bring the originals of their visa and admission notice for more than one year and other valid documents (such as the U.S. I20 form) and If you make a photocopy of the physical examination, you will be exempted from the medical examination fee (only the items listed in the "International Travel Health Examination Certificate", additional physical examination items required by other countries are not free), but the vaccination fee still has to be paid.

Some students also reported that they do not need to wait for the visa to be issued, and can get a free physical examination by bringing their passport/ID card, admission letter and I-20.

But what needs to be noted is:

1. If the visa is issued very late, it is recommended that you do not have to delay the physical examination for five to six hundred yuan.

2. International travel health care centers in various places may have different requirements on whether an appointment is required, material requirements, and injectable vaccines. It is recommended to call the relevant center to inquire clearly before conducting a physical examination.

Finally, I wish everyone all the best!