HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) -
As children prepare for a new school year, parents and caregivers should be preparing for new vaccination guidelines. Beginning this coming school year, the state Department of Health has mandated new guidelines for all school-age children.
The Health Department has updated the state's immunization regulations based on recommendations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
The regulations require that children in all grade levels receive an additional dose of varicella (chicken pox) vaccine if they have not already had the chicken pox. They also must receive a second dose of mumps vaccine, and a complete three-dose series of Hepatitis B vaccine.
The regulations additionally require that students in seventh grade have one dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) and one dose of tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap).
The East Pennsboro Area School District in Cumberland County has distributed information for parents. It admits that changes can be confusing.
"The parents not knowing: Do we have to have the immunizations? Where would we get it? Who needs to have it?" Director of Pupil Services Kathy Kramer said. "Even though we've tried to be as clear as possible, it is kind of confusing because it is required now."
Kramer understood why the state requires certain immunizations.
"Obviously, when we you have a bunch of students together and they get sick, it's really good to make sure everyone's immunized to make sure they don't pass it around," Kramer said. "Our goal is for children to come to school and obviously keep them as healthy as possible to be there as many days as they can."
There will be a grace period that runs until eight months from the start of the school year. The Department of Health is directing parents to www.VaccinesForLife.com for additional information.
