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New Immunization Requirements 2017

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        IMPORTANT CHANGE TO IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS (2017-2018 SCHOOL YEAR)      Immunization Letter - May 2017 (Printable Version)

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has revised the immunization requirements for students effective the 2017 - 2018 school year. This revision replaces the 8-month provisional period for immunizations with the new requirement of a 5-day provisional period.

Prior to August 2017, a parent had 8 months to complete all required immunizations. This is called provisional enrollment.

As of August 2017, a parent must have all immunizations completed within the first 5 days of school.

If the student is in the middle of a series and it is too soon for the next dose, the parents must provide the school nurse with a plan for immunizations (signed by a health care provider) within the first 5 days. If the student has incomplete immunizations and no medical plan, the student must be excluded from school.

These requirements allow for the following exemptions: medical reasons, religious beliefs, or philosophical/strong moral or ethical conviction. If your child is exempt from immunizations, he or she may be removed from school during an outbreak.

  PENNSYLVANIA MANDATED IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS

Children in ALL GRADES 
Diphtheria and Tetanus – 4 doses of tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (1 dose on or after the 4th birthday)

Polio –4 doses of polio (4th dose on or after 4th birthday and at least 6 months after previous dose given), a fourth dose is not necessary if the third dose was administered at age 4 years.

Measles, Mumps, Rubella – 2 doses of Measles, 2 doses of Mumps and one dose of Rubella, given on or after the 1st birthday as an MMR. The second doses of Measles and Mumps are usually given as an MMR but may be Measles & Mumps only given at least one month after the first dose.

Hepatitis B – 3 doses with the first and second doses at least one month apart and the third dose 16 weeks after the first dose but not prior to six months of age.

Varicella –2 doses on or after the first birthday or evidence of chicken pox disease.

 STUDENTS ENTERING 7TH GRADE

Tetanus, Diphthteria, and Accellular Pertussis (Tdap) - 1 dose given by the 1st day of 7th grade.

Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV) - 1 dose given by the 1st day of 7th grade.  STUDENTS ENTERING 12TH GRADE  Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV) - 2nddose given by the first day 12th grade. If  one dose was given at 16 years of age or older, that shall count as the twelfth grade dose.  The vaccines required for entrance, 7th grade and 12th grade continue to be required in each succeeding school year.