NY's New Vaccination Rules Go into Effect Sept. 1

The New York State Department of Health announced amended vaccination regulations for children entering or attending school.

New York State school children now must receive a complete series of all required vaccines – or be in the process of doing so – in order to attend classes.

The change, effective Sept. 1, particularly affects kindergarteners, who were allowed to attend school before getting all their MMR, DTaP and polio vaccine doses.

Beginning Sept. 1, children entering or attending kindergarten through grade 12 will be required to have two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Children entering kindergarten through grade 5 will need to have five doses of the vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus and a cellular pertussis (DTaP). Additionally, children entering kindergarten, and grades 1, 6 and 7 must have four doses of the polio vaccine. Children who have not yet received all required vaccine doses must schedule appointments with their health care providers to complete the vaccine series in order to remain in school.

“These revisions are based on the most current science and will give our children the best protection we can provide from devastating diseases.” New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said. “With these up to date school immunization requirements in place, New York will be aligned with federal standards on childhood vaccines.”

These changes align New York State’s vaccination regulations with the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, an advisory group to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Previously, kindergarteners were allowed to attend school before completing the MMR, DTaP and polio vaccine series.

For more information about the new 2015 immunization regulations, visit http://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/immunization/schools/.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in January said the state’s vaccine requirement didn’t violate students’ constitutional rights.

SEE: New York Schools May Require Vaccinations, Appeals Court Rules