Just talked to my wife. She and my stepson are in Moscow for the medical exams and interview. The medical was on Thursday, and she said everyone at Meditsina that day had to get a measles vaccine. They were told that one measles vaccine (as required in Russia) is not enough according to American standards. They charged $30 a piece. Other than that everything went fairly well. The results pick-up on Friday was quite slow and took nearly two hours. Of the 8 women at the clinic there were 3 K1s, 1 K3 and 4 CR1s. It is cold and rainy in Moscow unfortunately but they are enjoying the city nonetheless. The interview is Monday and of course we are both feeling a bit anxious. I am spending the weekend cleaning the garage to pass the time. Monday morning I will wake early and try to call...

The issue is the Rubella component of the US (and western) MMR vaccine. Russians are not vaccinated for rubella.

According to CDC requirements, MMR vaccines are not required for individuals born before 1957, but Medicina insists on giving MMRs to everyone. For older people, this can be hazardous, since arthritis is a common complication of MMR vaccination in women over about 50. The embassy has not answered my questions on this point. Perhaps after my wife safely enters the USA (and I can make a copy of her vaccination record that we got from Medicina, proving their unethical and potentially illegal action, I will write the ambassador.

Does your wife know if anyone over 50 was given MMR vaccinations on her examination day?

Claudeth had to get the MMR and a tetanus when she did AOS.

I will ask when she returns home and post her response.

Claudeth wasn't even thought of in the '50s, was she?

Well I went to my medical to AO Meditsina today.
Spend 3 hours sitting in 4 consecutive lines (doctor; blood draw; x-ray, doctor again). The x-ray had to be done twice; both shots showed some kind of darkening in my left lung so they directed me to TB clinic tomorrow to double-ckeck. I cannot imagine what this thing might be as I am as healthy as a horse. Never smoked, no coughhing, no nothing. Maybe they just forgot to wipe their x-ray machine?? The doc said she's almost positive there is no TB but they have to verify for the Embassy.

Anyway, I'm glad I'm doing this a week in advance as my final results may not be ready until Monday.

I had a longer conversation with my wife now that she has returned from the interview in Moscow (K3/K4 visas approved ), It seems that Meditsina is administering the measles vaccine to applicants 35 and under. The reasoning does not seem to be the absense of a rubella vaccine but the US requirement for 2 MMRs as opposed to the Russian requirement for just 1 MMR. All the applicants who were there on Thursday were under 35 except one person. That person was not required to get the vaccine.

I had to get all the shots when I was doing AOS, because I didn't have any vaccination record with me in the U.S.