Two vaccination clinics are scheduled on campus this week to help faculty and staff comply with a public health directive issued by the Arkansas Department of Health requiring all U of A employees on the Fayetteville campus to be up-to-date with their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations by Monday, Jan. 13.

How Do Faculty and Staff Know If They're Out of Compliance?

Faculty and staff believed to be currently out of compliance with the directive were notified Thursday, Jan. 2, by email.

• If you received this email, titled "Employees Who Are Out of Compliance with the ADH Mumps Directive," but have proof of an MMR vaccination in the last 28 days OR proof of two MMR vaccinations in the past, you are required to submit documentation of MMR vaccination to the Arkansas Department of Health.
• If you received an "out of compliance" email and do not have documentation, you will need to start or finish (if you have had the first dose more than 28 days ago) the MMR vaccine series before Jan. 13.

For questions, contact the Arkansas Department of Health Outbreak Response Section at 501-537-8969.

Employees not in compliance with the ADH directive will be excluded from work and campus-related activities starting Monday, Jan. 13, until the ADH determines the outbreak is over (52 days after any confirmed case of mumps). The last confirmed case was reported on Dec. 20, so the earliest date the outbreak could be declared over is Feb. 10, if no other cases are confirmed during the next several weeks.

ADH Vaccine Clinics On Campus: Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 7-8

The Arkansas Department of Health will be on campus this week providing MMR vaccines for anyone needing to comply with the directive.

Vaccine clinics will be held on the following days at The Wellness Center, located in the Garland Center Shops — 640 N. Garland Ave., Suites 113 and 114 (Garland Avenue Parking Garage):

• Tuesday, Jan. 7, from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 8, from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Faculty/Staff Who Recently Received Their First Dose of the MMR Vaccine

Employees who recently received their first dose of the MMR vaccine can return to work and campus-related activities, but must receive their second dose following the 28-day waiting period. Employees who received their first dose of the MMR vaccine at the ADH clinics held Dec. 16-18 on campus, can receive their second dose starting Jan. 13-15. Additional on-campus vaccination clinics are being planned for later this month.

The MMR vaccine is also available at Pat Walker Health Center's Allergy and Immunization Clinic. To schedule an appointment, go to myhealth.uark.edu or call 479-575-4451.

PROTECT AGAINST MUMPS

Mumps is a contagious disease caused by a virus, and is best known for the puffy cheeks and tender, swollen jaw it causes. The virus is easily spread through coughing and sneezing, as well as from sharing food and drinks. It may take up to 26 days for a person to show symptoms after they have been infected.

The best way to protect against mumps is to get the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine, as well as practicing effective respiratory hygiene — washing hands often, covering coughs and sneezes, disinfecting surfaces, not sharing food, drinks or vaping devices.

University officials continue to be in close contact with the health department, and encourages everyone to take preventive measures to help stop the transmission.

For more information, go to www.cdc.gov/mumps or health.uark.edu.