Environment, Health and Safety Manual - Chapter 03.08: Injury, Illness, and Near Miss - Travel Immunization Program

Title

Environment, Health and Safety Manual - Chapter 03.08: Injury, Illness, and Near Miss - Travel Immunization Program

Background

The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill continues to grow as a leader in international education and global health through programs such as UNC Global Affairs and the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Disease. As international educational, research, and service opportunities increase, the University has taken steps to provide resources to faculty, staff, and students in order to minimize known health risks that can occur in the course of international travel.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that faculty, staffs, and students traveling abroad on behalf of the University have obtained the appropriate travel medications/immunizations and up-to-date health risk information. The preferred method for obtaining and documenting the necessary services is:

Affiliation, Location, and Contact Information Table
Affiliation Location Contact Information
Faculty and Staff (Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars if on University payroll) University Employee Occupational Health Clinic (UEOHC)

919-966-9119
EHS Immunizations website

Students (Undergraduate, Graduate and Postdoctoral Scholars) Campus Health International Travel Clinic 919-966-2281
International Travel Clinic website

All Faculty and Staff on University business are required to get their travel immunizations through the University Employee Occupational Health Clinic.

Both clinics are U.S. Yellow Fever Vaccination Centers and follow current Center for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. Individuals are encouraged to schedule an appointment as soon as they become aware of their travel plans as some vaccination schedules take 6 months to complete.

Responsibility

Student Employees

Students on the University payroll traveling internationally for University business are considered employees of the University and fall under the same requirements as University employees.

Employee

If an employee’s job responsibilities require international travel, then the employee is to contact the University Employee Occupational Health Clinic at least three months prior to departure date in order to allow time for completion of vaccine series and time for vaccinations to become effective. He/She is to complete the “Request for Travel Immunizations” form which includes the exact order of departures and arrivals and length of time at each location. If there are any requirements specified by the funding agency, the UOEHC needs to be made aware of these requirements as soon as possible. Please note additional requirements for faculty, staff, and students providing international patient care (see below).

Supervisor/Departments

Supervisors and/or departments are responsible for ensuring that employees traveling internationally seek travel immunization assistance from the University Employee Occupational Health Clinic. The Department is to complete the “Request for Travel Services” form confirming that travel is work-related and the department’s billing information.

International Health Care Providers

University faculty and staff traveling on University funds who will be working in patient care settings while abroad are required to have documentation of compliance with the University’s Immunization Review program requirements before University managed funds can be used to pay for travel. This includes, but is not limited to, current training on Bloodborne Pathogens, documentation of Hepatitis B status, and documentation of a recent Tuberculin Skin Test (TST). Please contact the UEOHC if there are any institutional or site-specific requirements that are needed to obtain clinical privileges at the host institution. Health care providers are also strongly encouraged to review the availability of adequate post-exposure prophylaxis at their international clinical site (more information).

Medical Evacuation Insurance

The University of North Carolina General Administration has contracted with GeoBlue to provide international travel insurance. This policy provides coverage for emergency medical expenses, medical evacuation, security and political evacuation, accidental death and dismemberment, and repatriation of remains. If you are traveling with a spouse or children, you have the option to purchase coverage for dependents at your own expense. Please note that forms need to be submitted to Risk Management Services at least two weeks in advance of travel and with appropriate payment.

UEOHC Fees

The department is responsible for paying for travel immunization services provided to the employee by the UEOHC. The fee includes an initial medical provider visit, then a reduced follow-up visit plus cost of vaccines needed for the area the employee is traveling too. This fee will be billed directly to the department by the Department of Environment, Health and Safety.

Resources

Contact Information

Policy Contact

Environment, Health and Safety
1120 Estes Drive
Campus Box #1650
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-1650
Phone: 919-962-5507

Back to Chapter 03.07 - First Aid

Proceed to Chapter 04.01 - Emergency Planning and Evacuation

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Details

Article ID: 131933
Created
Thu 4/8/21 9:20 PM
Modified
Tue 9/10/24 11:20 AM
Responsible Unit
School, Department, or other organizational unit issuing this document.
Environment, Health and Safety
Issuing Officer
Name of the document Issuing Officer. This is the individual whose organizational authority covers the policy scope and who is primarily responsible for the policy.
Issuing Officer Title
Title of the person who is primarily responsible for issuing this policy.
Executive Director
Next Review
Date on which the next document review is due.
09/01/2026 12:00 AM
Last Review
Date on which the most recent document review was completed.
05/21/2019 3:12 PM
Last Revised
Date on which the most recent changes to this document were approved.
05/21/2019 3:12 PM
Effective Date
If the date on which this document became/becomes enforceable differs from the Origination or Last Revision, this attribute reflects the date on which it is/was enforcable.
05/21/2019 3:12 PM
Origination
Date on which the original version of this document was first made official.
05/01/2014 12:00 AM