New Vaccine Requirements for Students
in Middle and High School
Tdap and Varicella Vaccines
Fact Sheet for Parents
Parents of Middle and High School Students:
Changes in the Wisconsin Student Immunization law now require two different
vaccines for middle and high school students. Parents are required to have
their children vaccinated or claim a waiver. Use the attached Student
Immunization Record to record the date(s) of immunization(s) or claim a
waiver.
1. What grades are affected and what vaccines are required?
For the 2009-2010 school year, the following is required:
Students entering Vaccine(s)
Grades 6, 7 and 12 Tdap (1 dose) and Varicella
(2 doses)
Grades 9 and 10 Tdap (1 dose)
The varicella vaccine protects against chickenpox. Previously only one dose
was required.
Tdap is the adolescent combination vaccine that protects against tetanus,
diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough).
2. What do parents need to do?
Have your child vaccinated with Tdap and/or varicella vaccine if he or she
has not already received the vaccine(s). Record the date(s) of the
immunization(s) in the bold outlined box(s) on the enclosed Student
Immunization Record, sign it and return it to your child’s school. Be sure
to add the Tdap and varicella vaccine dates to the permanent immunization
record you keep for your child at home. In the future, your child may need
to give these dates to other schools, colleges or employers.
To claim a waiver for health, religious or personal conviction reasons,
follow the instructions on the Student Immunization Record and return the
signed form to your child’s school.
3. Are there exceptions to the Tdap and varicella vaccine requirements?
Yes. If your child had received a tetanus-containing vaccine (such as Td
vaccine after an injury) within the last 5 years of entering the grade it is
required, your child is compliant and Tdap vaccine is not required. Check
the box marked “Td” on the Student Immunization Record, enter the date it was
received and return the signed form to school.
If your child had chickenpox disease or shingles, even after the 1st dose of
varicella vaccine, further doses of the vaccine are not required. Check
the “Yes” box to the chickenpox disease question on the Student Immunization
Record and return it to school.
4. If my child meets the Tdap and varicella requirements will he or she need
to get another dose in a different grade in school?
No. When a child meets the vaccine requirements for the grade to which the
requirements apply (i.e., receives the vaccine or does not receive the
vaccine because of an exception (see #3 above), no further doses are
required. For example, if a child received a dose of Td vaccine because of
an injury within 5 years of entering 6th grade, that child has met the Tdap
requirement (even though s/he has not actually received Tdap vaccine) and
will not be required to receive Tdap vaccine now or in a future grade.
5. If my child already had pertussis (whooping cough) disease, should he or
she still get the Tdap vaccine?
Children who have had pertussis disease should receive Tdap because the
length of protection provided by disease is unknown and because the diagnosis
can be difficult to confirm. A previous history of pertussis is not an
exception to the Tdap requirement.
6. Where can I get Tdap and/or varicella vaccine for my child?
These vaccines are available from your child’s doctor or local health
department. Please have your child immunized well in advance of school
opening to avoid the late summer rush at doctor’s offices and immunization
clinics.
7. Why are these requirements being made?
From 1986 through 2004, Wisconsin had the 5th highest rate of pertussis in
the nation with almost 5,000 cases being reported in 2004 alone. Pertussis
outbreaks occur because protection declines 5-10 years after completion of
childhood DTP/DTaP vaccinations. Tdap is a new vaccine that is recommended
for adolescents and is anticipated to help prevent pertussis from occurring,
including pertussis outbreaks in schools. Pertussis is a serious disease,
particularly in young infants, and it can place a significant burden on
families, as a person with pertussis must stay home from work and school for
a minimum of 5 days of antibiotic treatment.
Two doses of varicella vaccine have been shown to be more effective than one
dose, and prevents “breakthrough disease,” a mild form of the disease that
can result is several lost school days.
Recommendations for both Tdap and varicella vaccines are made by the Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices to the Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC).
School Immunization Law
Fact Sheet for Parents
Parents:
The Wisconsin Student Immunization law was recently changed. Two different
vaccine requirements were added which may affect your child’s compliance with
the law. The change will go into effect this fall with the beginning of the
2008-2009 school year. Parents are required to have their children vaccinated
or claim a waiver by indicating their choice on the attached Student
Immunization Record and returning it to their child’s school. The following
fact sheet should help to answer your questions about the new requirements:
New Tdap and Varicella Immunization Requirements for Students
1. Why are these requirements being made?
From 1986 through 2004, Wisconsin had the 5th highest rate of pertussis
(whooping cough) in the nation with almost 5,000 cases being reported in 2004
alone. Pertussis outbreaks occur because protection declines 5-10 years
after completion of childhood DTP/DTaP vaccinations. Tdap is a new vaccine
that is recommended for adolescents and is anticipated to help prevent
pertussis from occurring including pertussis outbreaks in schools. Pertussis
can place a significant burden on children and parents as a person with
pertussis must be isolated for a minimum of 5 days of antibiotic treatment.
Two doses of varicella vaccine have been shown to be more effective than one
dose in preventing “breakthrough disease” cases of chickenpox in children
ofall age groups.
Recommendations for both Tdap and varicella vaccines are made by the Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices to the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
2. What are the new requirements, what grades are affected and when will
they
begin?
The Wisconsin Student Immunization Law will require:
• 1 dose of tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap)
for
students entering 6th , 9th and 12th grades, and
• 2 doses of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine for students entering
Kindergarten, 6th and 12th grades beginning in the 2008-09 school year (this
coming fall).
3. What do parents need to do?
Have your child vaccinated with Tdap and/or varicella vaccine if he or she has
not already received the vaccine(s). Record the date(s) of the immunization
in the bold outlined box(s) on the enclosed Student Immunization Record, sign
it and return it to your child’s school. To claim a waiver for health,
religious or personal conviction reasons follow the instructions on the
Student Immunization Record and return the signed form to your child’s
school.
Also, be sure to add the Tdap and varicella vaccine dates to the permanent
immunization record you keep for your child at home. In the future, s/he may
need to give these dates to other schools, colleges or employers.
4. Are there exceptions to the Tdap and varicella vaccine requirements?
Yes, there are two. The first is with Tdap vaccine. If your child will be
entering 6th, 9th or 12th grade and already received a tetanus-containing
vaccine (eg. Td vaccine) within the last 5 years, your child is compliant and
Tdap vaccine is not required. Check the box marked “Td”, enter the date it
was received on the Student Immunization Record and return it to school. The
second exception is for varicella vaccine. If your child had chickenpox
disease, even after the 1st dose of varicella vaccine, further doses of the
vaccine are not required. Check the “Yes” box to the chickenpox disease
question on the Student Immunization Record and return it to school.
5. If my child already had pertussis disease, should he or she still get
the
Tdap vaccine?
Children who have had pertussis disease should receive Tdap according to the
routine recommendations because the length of protection provided by disease
is unknown and because the diagnosis can be difficult to confirm. This is not
an exception to the Tdap requirement.
6. Where can I get Tdap and/or varicella vaccine for my child?
These vaccines are available from your child’s doctor or local health
department. Please have your child immunized well in advance of school
opening to avoid the late summer rush at doctor’s offices and immunization
clinics
If you have any questions regarding this immunization change, you may contact
your child’s health care provider, the local health department, or School
District Nurse, Kerri Schmidt at 365-9235.
Kindergarten Parent information for 2008-09
February, 2008
Dear Parent/Guardian:
This is an exciting time as your child prepares to enter kindergarten
in the
fall of 2008. A complete immunization record must be presented to the school
office when you register for the school year. Your child needs to have
completed:
• 4 DPT/DtaP/DT/Td immunizations (** 1 dose must be received on or
after
their 4th birthday, unless medically contraindicated.) Note that for children
that are on schedule, this will be their 5th dose.)
• 4 Polio immunizations
• 2 MMR immunizations
• 3 Hepatitis B immunizations
• 2 Varicella (chickenpox) immunizations OR the date your child had the
disease.
(The new varicella vaccine recommendation is effective beginning
the 2008-09 school
year.)
*Waivers are available for religious, health and personal conviction reasons.
You may sign this on the bottom of the immunization record available from
your child’s school. However, in the event of an outbreak of a vaccine
preventable disease, students with waivers may be excluded from school until
the outbreak subsides.
You are encouraged to have your child immunized well in advance of the school
opening to avoid the late summer rush. Your child’s physician or the health
department can assist you with the review of your child’s immunization record
to determine if they are up to date. Please contact your child’s physician or
your local health department for an appointment. Immunizations are free to
all children under the age of 19 from your local health department. You
can also access your child’s immunization record on the Wisconsin Immunization
Registry on line at this site: https://www.dhfswir.org/PR/portalInfoManager.do
A new state law requires school districts to encourage parents of
kindergarten-age students to provide proof of eye examinations to the school:
[118.135, Wis. Stats.] states that each school board must request that
parents/guardians provide evidence that the student has had his/her eyes
examined by a licensed optometrist or licensed physician. Parents/guardians
who choose to have their child’s eyes examined should provide evidence of the
eye examination or evaluation by December 31, following the student’s
enrollment in kindergarten. Attached is the state form that has been
specifically designed for this purpose. Please return the completed form to
your child’s school.
Sincerely,
Kerri R. Schmidt RN, BSN, NCSN
School District Nurse 365-9235
Meningococcal Disease Parent Letter
July 25, 2006
Dear Parent or Guardian:
As the school district nurse, I am writing to inform you about the dangers of
meningococcal disease, commonly known as bacterial meningitis, a rare but
potentially fatal infection that can occur among teenagers and college
students. While meningococcal disease is rare and difficult to contract, it is
very serious. There is now a vaccine that may help to prevent this infection.
Meningococcal bacteria can potentially be transmitted through close contact
with an infected person through direct contact with respiratory and/or oral
secretions from an infected person (for example, through sharing drinking
containers or kissing). Teenagers and college students are at increased risk
for meningococcal disease compared to the general population, accounting for
nearly 30 percent of all U.S. cases every year. Meningococcal disease can be
misdiagnosed as something less serious, because early symptoms like high
fever, severe headache, nausea, vomiting and stiff neck, are similar to those
of common viral illnesses. The disease can progress rapidly and can cause
death or permanent disability within 48 hours of initial symptoms.
Up to 83 percent of all cases among teens and college students may potentially
be prevented through immunization, the most effective way to prevent this
disease. A meningococcal vaccine is available that protects against four out
of five strains of bacterium that cause meningococcal disease in the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other leading medical
organizations recommend routine meningococcal immunization for adolescents
during the preadolescent doctor’s visit (11- to 12-year-olds), adolescents at
high school entry (15-year-olds), if they have not previously been immunized,
and for college freshmen living in dormitories. I suggest you contact your
child’s health care provider to help you decide if your child should receive
this vaccination.
For more information about meningococcal disease and immunization, please feel
free to contact me directly at 365-9235 or visit the following websites to
learn more about meningococcal disease, vaccine information, and public health
resources visit the following web sites.
• www.cdc.gov – This CDC website includes the CDC recommendations and
information on the meningococcal vaccine.
•
http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/communicable/Communicable/factsheets/PDFfactsheets/M
eningococcal_42072_0504l.pdf
- The Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services communicable disease
fact sheet.
•
http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/communicable/Communicable/factsheets/Meningococcal.h
tm
- Another Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services communicable
disease fact sheet.
• http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/LocalHealth/index.htm - A list of local
Wisconsin
public health departments and contact information.
• American Academy of Family Physicians, www.aafp.org
• American Academy of Pediatrics, www.aap.org
• Meningitis Foundation of America, www.musa.org
• National Meningitis Association, www.nmaus.org
Sincerely,
Kerri R. Schmidt BSN, RN, NCSN
Rhinelander School District Nurse
