New Pennsylvania Vaccine Deadlines Could Keep Your Kids Out Of School

PITTSBURGH, PA - Vaccination requirements have changed for all schools in Pennsylvania for 2017-18 and there’s a very strict deadline for meeting them. Students previously had eight months to get the mandated immunizations before being excluded from school; they now need them within the first five days of school.

That means your children probably won’t be permitted to attend classes if they miss the deadline.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the required immunizations are:

• Four doses of tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis, usually given as DTP or DTaP (one dose on or after the 4th birthday).

• Four doses of polio (Fourth dose on or after 4th birthday and at least 6 months after previous dose was given). A fourth dose is not necessary if the third dose was administered at age 4 or older and at least 6 months after the previous dose.

• Two doses of measles, mumps, rubella, usually given as MMR.

• Three doses of hepatitis B.

• Two doses of varicella (chickenpox) or evidence of immunity.

If a child does not have all the doses listed above, needs additional doses and the next dose is medically appropriate, the child must receive that dose within the first five days of school or risk exclusion. If the next dose is not the final dose of the series, the child must also provide a medical plan from a doctor for obtaining the mandated immunizations within the first five days of school or risk exclusion.

Students entering 7th Grade must have one dose of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) on the first day of school or risk exclusion.

Students entering 12th Grade must have a second dose of MCV by the fifth day of school or risk exclusion, unless the second dose was received at age 16 or older.

Students can be exempted from immunization requirements for medical reasons, religious beliefs or a strong moral or ethical conviction.

Photo by Washington State House Republicans via Creative Commons.