(a) Medical exemptions for employees.

1. (1) The Department of Health standard form for exemptions must be submitted to the Communicable Disease and Immunization Section.

2. (2)

   1. (A) The form must be notarized and accompanied by a letter from a physician stating the medical contraindication.
   2. (B) Only an approval letter issued by the Medical Director, Communicable Disease and Immunization Section, stating the vaccine or vaccines for which an individual is exempt is to be accepted as a valid medical exemption by the nursing home.
   3. (C) Statements from a private physician are not to be accepted by the nursing home without the department approval letter.
   4. (D) Approved medical exemption letters are to be filed in the employee’s personnel file.
3. (3) Requests for exemption forms or inquiries about exemptions should be forwarded to the Arkansas Department of Health, Communicable Disease and Immunization Section, 4815 W. Markham, MS48, Little Rock, AR 72205, or call (501) 537-8969 or 1-800-574-4040.

(b) Residents.

1. (1) Nursing home residents or their legal guardian may refuse immunizations for any reason, philosophical or religious, including that the immunization conflicts with the religious tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination of which the resident or guardian is an adherent or member.
2. (2) The nursing home must document the refusal of immunizations in the resident’s chart.