By: Moe Ellis
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — An email sent to the University of Arkansas faculty, staff, and students confirmed nine cases of the mumps on campus. The email said all students are required to have two MMR vaccinations that treat Measles, Mumps, and Rubella.
Some students are not able to get these vaccinations for personal or religious reasons. One student said she had to leave class so she didn’t catch mumps after another student was diagnosed.
“It was an exam day for that class and my professor called me to the front of the class and was like, ‘hey, you can’t be here,’” said Abbey Dilatush. “That was embarrassing for me.”
If a student isn’t vaccinated, the University will excuse them from class until the outbreak is over. Some professors say their department would have trouble getting students to make up work online.
“That would be difficult for this department because we work with instruments and they have to play so that could affect us if we had an outbreak,” said Band Administrative Support Supervisor Connie Vick.
According to Pat Walker Health Center, 407 students out of over 27,000 have not had both MMR vaccinations.