IMMUNIZATIONS:
For 2008-2009 school year:
NEW IMMUNIZATION RULES FOR STUDENTS 11 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER
Arizona Department of Health Services has recently made changes to rules requiring two more immunizations for school attendance which will affect your children beginning next school year.
Students 11 years of age and older and entering 6th grade will be required to have Tdap and MV to attend school beginning school year 2008-2009. These immunizations will be recommended for students in 5th grade as they turn 11 years old.
Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, attenuated pertussis) will be required for students as they turn 11 years old and older when 5 years have passed since the last tetanus/diphtheria vaccine dose (DTP, DTaP, or Td). Previously, a Td was done 10 years after the initial series completed, but recurrence of pertussis in the teen population over the past years has put children at increased risk for this life-threatening disease.
MV (meningococcal vaccine) will be required for students who are either
11 years old or older entering 6th grade August, 2008. Meningococcal meningitis can be highly contagious in teen and young adults and may result in severe disability if not death.
Students entering 6th grade next year must have documentation of these immunizations prior to beginning school year in August, 2008.
Beginning for school year 2008-2009, all 6th graders will be required to have the immunizations. Then for 2009-2010 all 6th and 7th graders will be required to have them and so on each subsequent year adding a grade level until eventually all students entering 6th grade or above will be required to have the both immunizations.
As you update your child's immunizations, please get the Tdap and MV administered and documented as soon as possible if your child is already over 11 years old. Please get that documentation to your School Nurse when completed so that school records can be updated.
Exemptons forms are available from the nurse and must be filled out in person by parent for personal exemption or physician for a medical exemption. Remember, these are with understanding of potential exclusions from school in event of any outbreak of disease as determined by the Maricopa County Health Department.
DON'T DELAY! Get your child's shots today!
Sun Health
