Harrisburg – The Pennsylvania Department of Health is reminding parents and
caregivers of the upcoming deadline to ensure school-aged children have had all
required immunizations.
“When the current school year began, families were given an eight-month
provisional period to get their students up-to-date with their vaccinations,” said Dr.
Eli Avila, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health. “This period is
coming to an end, so we are reminding families to make sure school-aged children
are immunized.”
New immunization regulations that took effect last August require children in all
grades to receive a second dose of mumps vaccine as well as a second dose of the
chicken pox vaccine.
They also require students in seventh grade to have one dose of meningococcal
conjugate vaccine (MCV4) and one dose of the tetanus, diphtheria and acellular
pertussis vaccine (Tdap). All vaccines also need to be appropriately spaced to be
considered valid.
To help parents and caregivers meet the deadline, the department will be providing
free immunization clinics during the week of April 9. Students will need to be
registered by March 30. To register for an appointment in your area, visit
www.padohclinicappt.com.
Individuals can also call 877-PA HEALTH (877-724-3258) for additional information.
The most recent copy of the student’s vaccination history must be provided at the
time of the appointment. Students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
While the department established the new regulations, enforcement is up to
individual school districts. The regulations were developed upon recommendations
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices. To review the regulations, visit
www.health.state.pa.us/immunizations.
