No Immunization Scars

[SteveKarlaMayer 21]

Hi, wonderful people of VJ! Could it be a problem during the medical exam at SLMEC if you have no immunization scars from your childhood vaccinations?

I am completely immunized when I was a baby but maybe they'll doubt it because I have no scars on either both of my upper arms. I don't think I can find my old record also because my mom said she lost it long time ago.

Anybody gone through this?

Thanks ahead for the response and God bless.

[batibot 0]

Hi, wonderful people of VJ! Could it be a problem during the medical exam at SLMEC if you have no immunization scars from your childhood vaccinations?

I am completely immunized when I was a baby but maybe they'll doubt it because I have no scars on either both of my upper arms. I don't think I can find my old record also because my mom said she lost it long time ago.

Anybody gone through this?

Thanks ahead for the response and God bless.

my son never have scars too but i have the immunization card of him,i think if you are not sure about your shots history they will give you shots anyways to be sure that you are protected.No worries about it

[Joshuaching 11]

Hi, wonderful people of VJ! Could it be a problem during the medical exam at SLMEC if you have no immunization scars from your childhood vaccinations?

I am completely immunized when I was a baby but maybe they'll doubt it because I have no scars on either both of my upper arms. I don't think I can find my old record also because my mom said she lost it long time ago.

Anybody gone through this?

Thanks ahead for the response and God bless.

St Lukes know which shots were mandatory for all children in the Philippines and which localities have been on record as receiving those immunization. However, there are mandatory vaccinations that you're supposed to get when you were already an adult and these would be given to you, unless you could prove that you have received those recently. My wife was given three shots because she needed boosters from her shot records. One way or the other, you would get some of these without exception.

[Ontarkie 13,883]

You may be able to go to your own doctor and ask for blood work I think it's called a titer test? Then your doctor can make a write something to take to the medical. But again I'm not sure how it works where you are, others will chime in soon.

[Xanax 349]

You should have some sort of vaccination record. Scars are not an accurate representation of which vaccines you have had.

[apple21 953]

SLEC will determine what shots to give you, regardless if you have vaccine scars or not. It's not a problem if you no longer have your "baby book" or any vaccination record because, as I've said SLEC physicians will decide what shots to give you and the same goes for small children.

Immunization record

SELF-REPORTED VACCINES WILL NOT BE HONORED.

Your vaccination documentation will only be honored if it contains the following details:

* personal copy (e.g. baby book)or copy of medical chart indicating received vaccines

* complete date of receipt of vaccination

* must include signature (license number, if applicable) of doctor or health worker who administered vaccine

http://www.slec.ph/us-visa-applicants.shtml

Edited November 23, 2012 by apple21

[belinda63 2,981]

The only immunization scar I have is from the small pox immunization, which just shows how old I am. Immunizations normally don't leave scars, a vaccination record or blood titer is the only sure way to know if it was received. BTW another bit of trivia, I am almost certain I had rubella when I was a child, the titer during my first two pregnancies showed immunity, but lo and behold, during my third pregnancy my titer showed no immunity. Explain that one.

[SteveKarlaMayer 21]

Thank you all! I am well enlightened by your answers, guys. So no need to worry if I don't have scars nor record, 'cause they will give me the shots that I need.

God bless.

[GlobeHopperMama 95]

I know just about everything about the immigration process in Manila is outside the usual, but my husband has done US immigration medicals on two continents and in neither case did his childhood vaccines even come into play. They just gave him the adult boosters for Measels/Mumps/Rubella and TDaP (Tetanus, Diptheria, Pertussis). In Mexico he was given the varicella booster five years ago, but in Korea they just asked if he'd had chicken pox as a kid and since he said yes, they didn't vaccinate that one.

The vaccine that is most famous for leaving a scar is the TB vaccine (BCG?) which is only administered in certain countries. In countries where it is routinely administered in childhood (I think the Philippines is one), the immigration medical includes a chest X-ray to check for TB. In other countries where TB isn't very common, they do a skin-####### test first, but if you're from a country that gives the BCG vaccine, you'll always test falsely positive on the skin ####### test because the vaccine gave you antibodies that make the skin test positive, so that's why Korea, Philippines, and also Mexico do a chest X-ray to test for TB. Anyway, I wouldn't worry about what scars you do or don't have, and it seems that in most cases, people who present no vaccine record rarely get more vaccines than those who don't. All adults are expected to end up with the same boosters.

[Rubie-Chris 0]

Almost no vaccinations leave scars (just polio and smallpox, which are not required anyway). Blood can be drawn and the antibody levels determined which will show if you have or have not been given. Once blood is drawn, it will only take a few days to get the results. Or, if you want it over quickly and cheaper, just take the immunization shots again.