New PA State Immunization Requirements in Effect for 2009

The State of Pennsylvania has mandated that, beginning with the start of the September, 2009 school year, (more than one year from now) all students will have to be immunized with a new range of protective vaccines that have been available from healthcare professionals for some time. A list of frequently asked questions has been provided, below, in anticipation of some of the expected inquiries regarding the state’s new mandate. Again, these requirements do not go into effect this September (2008) but rather in September, 2009, a full year after the start of the upcoming school year. The information is being passed on to you now in order to allow for plenty of time to become acquainted with the new codes and to allow parents and guardians of students who are currently of immunization age to considered getting these soon-to-be-necessary vaccinations now.

For more information please contact Susan Leimbach, RN, Health Services Coordinator at the Spellman Administration Building. Sue can be reached by e-mail: sleimbach@wcasd.net / or by phone: 484-266-1215

NEW 2009 STATE IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS

1. When do the new regulations go into effect?
   The new regulations go into effect at the start of next school year, September 2009 per 28 PA. CODE CH. 23.
   
   
   
2. Will my child be allowed to begin seventh grade (and beyond) in September 2009?
   Your child will NOT BE ALLOWED TO ENTER 7th grade (and beyond) unless proof of immunization from both meningitis (Menactra or MCV) and pertussis (TdaP) is on record in the nurse’s office of your child’s middle school. There is one exception: your child would be given a temporary medical exemption for the TdaP requirement, if it has been less than 5 years since their last tetanus booster.
   
   
   
3. Will my child be allowed to enter any other grade except 7th grade if they have less than:
   
• 2 doses of varicella (chicken pox) vaccine or documented history of the disease (new)
• 2 doses of mumps vaccine (new; many will have had in 2nd MMR already)
• 4 doses of tetanus vaccine
• 4 doses of diphtheria vaccine
• 3 doses of polio vaccine
• 2 doses of measles vaccine
• 1 dose of rubella vaccine
• 3 doses of Hepatitis B vaccine?

They will be allowed to enter, but will be issued a temporary Provisional Status letter which assigns a set date for completion. This Provisional Status follows the students to any other school in the Commonwealth. Your child will be excluded at that stated date if vaccines are still incomplete.


4. What if I am not sure what the school nurse has on file already?
   Simply call your child’s school and ask to speak with the nurse. Nurses will be sending home explicit letters with any vaccine information that is missing for your child, if that is the case.
   
   
   
5. Are religious exemptions still being accepted?
   Yes, the Department of Health and Department of Education require WCASD to accept a written statement from parent for religious objections.
   
   
   
6. Are medical exemptions still being accepted?
   Yes, we will accept a physician’s written letter requesting and explaining the need for medical exemption.
   

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