Time to Update Students’ Vaccines
By Carol M. Ostrom, Seattle Times
Aug. 6–State public-health officials are reminding parents that several immunizations are required before children can attend school or child care. Requirements for new vaccines or boosters change year by year to phase in protection for all students.
This year, students entering sixth and seventh grade must get the tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine. This is a booster shot for most children and will help protect older ones against whooping cough (pertussis).
Also this year, children starting first, second and sixth grades must get chickenpox (varicella) vaccine or document that they’ve had the disease; kindergartners need two doses.
Exemptions are allowed for medical, religious or personal reasons, but children who are not fully immunized may be excluded from attending school, preschool or child care if an outbreak occurs, noted Michele Roberts, health promotion and communication manager for the state’s immunization program.
Outbreaks this year included measles in Grant County, chickenpox in Spokane County, and 44 cases of whooping cough in Island County. In the measles outbreak, 18 of 19 who caught measles were unvaccinated, Roberts said.
For more information: www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/Immunize/default.htm.
For information on special back-to-school immunization clinics in King County as well as Public Health immunization clinics: www.metrokc.gov/health/immunization/school.htm or the Public Health Hotline, 206-296-4949. For Snohomish County: www.snohd.org or 425-339-5200.
Carol M. Ostrom: 206-464-2249 or costrom@seattletimes.com
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