Required Back-to-School Immunizations in Maryland

By Kirsten Petersen

While shopping for backpacks, notebooks and pencils, don’t forget to send your child to school with this essential school supply: immunization shots.

The state of Maryland requires students in kindergarten through the twelfth grade to be immunized from several illnesses, including:

• Diphtheria

• Pertussis (whooping cough)

New this year are additional required doses of mumps and rubella vaccines, possibly due to a recent outbreak of mumps, Patch reported earlier this year.

Families can bring this form to their doctor’s office to confirm their children are vaccinated and receive additional immunization shots.

Children younger than 5 years old in child-care programs are required to have vaccines for Hib and Pneumococcal Conjugate (PVC), in addition to the vaccines for the older students. See this chart for details.

Details for all vaccines for students in kindergarten through grade 12 can be found here.

For more information, visit the Health Inventory section of the Montgomery County Public Schools' website.