The new rules state that for any immigration medicals completed on or after May 1, 2024, a Polio booster (IPV) is required for all applicants aged 2 months and older, including all adults, unless proper documentation is provided of previous primary vaccination.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which advises USCIS and CDC, recommends hepatitis B (HepB) immunization as follows.
Hepatitis B is an infectious, vaccine-preventable liver disease caused by Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). HBV is spread by exposure to infected blood or bodily fluids by skin puncture or by direct contact with mucous membranes. Since the introduction of the HepB vaccine in 1982, the number of reported hepatitis B cases has decreased significantly.
However, despite decreases in hepatitis B incidence over the last four decades, which were accomplished by an increased number of people receiving the HepB vaccine, progress in recent years on further decreasing acute hepatitis B infections has halted.
Over the last four decades, Hepatitis B (HepB) vaccinations have proved to be safe, immunogenic, and effective. However, adult vaccine coverage has been inadequate, limiting future reductions in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections in the United States. The new guideline broadens the age range for universal HepB immunization to include people aged 19–59 years. Removing the risk factor evaluation previously advised to establish vaccine eligibility in this age group can boost vaccination coverage and reduce hepatitis B infections.
