New
Vaccination Requirement
(FAQ are at the
bottom of this page)
Dear Parents and Guardians;
Whooping cough (pertussis)
has been widespread, including nine infant deaths, in
Californians 10 years and older receive a
booster shot against pertussis (also known as
“Tdap”1). Moreover, Assembly Bill 354, now
chaptered into
students to be immunized against pertussis:
New
Vaccination Requirement
Assembly
Bill 354 Becomes Law
2011 Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Immunization Requirements for
Students
All students entering 7th through
12th grades
Will
need to provide the school with proof of receiving a Tdap
booster after their 10th birthday. This requirement begins July 1, 2011.
All students entering 7th
through 12th grade in the 2011-2012 will need to
Receive one dose of Tdap
vaccine ·
Send prove of vaccination to Student
Records, ·
Please make your
appointment and have your child vaccinated. Students who do not receive their
Booster or file an Exemption Waiver may be excluded from the 2011 – 2012 school
year.
Parents that have previously submitted an
Exemption Waiver do not need to resubmit Waivers.
All 6th grade students entering
7th grade beginning, July 1, 2011 and continuing every year after
will be required to have the Tdap Booster after their
10th birthday and before beginning the 7th grade.
We are also sending you information
from the California Department of Public Health regarding Pertussis
(AKA Whooping Cough)
1. “Tdap”=Tetanus
toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid
and acellular pertussis
vaccine
2. Waiver exemptions permitted for
verified medical conditions or personal beliefs. Waivers are available http://www.ieminc.org/Enrollment/ImmunRecord.pdf
AB 354: The New 7th – 12th Grade
California Department of Public Health, Immunization Branch
What PARENTS Need To Know
Frequently Asked Questions
What
is the new Tdap requirement for 7th – 12th graders?
Starting
July 2011, a new law (AB 354) changing
7th-12th grades
goes into effect. The law requires:
! This
coming school year (2011-2012), all students entering into 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th or 12 th grades will
need proof of an adolescent whooping cough booster shot (called “Tdap”) before starting school.
! For the
next school year (2012-13) and future school years, all students entering into
7th grade only will
need proof of a Tdap shot to start school.
Do
ALL 7th – 12th grade students need to get the “Tdap”
shot?
Yes. For
this coming school year (2011 – 2012 school year), all students going into 7th – 12th grades
must have
proof of having had the Tdap booster shot before
starting school. This includes current students, new students
and transfer students in both public and private schools. Beginning
the year after (2012 – 2013 school year),
the law will only affect 7th graders.
Limited exemptions are allowed.
What
is Tdap?
Tdap is a booster vaccine for older children, adolescents, and adults.
It safely protects against 3 dangerous
Diseases:
tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough (also called pertussis).
Why
was the Tdap requirement added?
This new
requirement will help protect your child and others in your school and
community from whooping
cough. Whooping cough is a serious disease that causes coughing fits
that can last for months. It can be deadly
for infants. In recent years, whooping cough has been increasing in
the
cough was widespread in
What
are the diseases tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough (pertussis)?
! Tetanus
– (also called lockjaw) causes painful tightening of the muscles. It can lead
to “locking” of the
jaw so the person cannot open his/her mouth or swallow.
! Diphtheria
– is a throat infection that can lead to breathing problems, paralysis, heart
failure and death.
! Whooping
cough – (also called pertussis) is a contagious
disease that causes violent coughing fits that
make it hard to breathe. It spreads easily when someone with the
disease coughs or sneezes.
Symptoms
can last for months. Whooping cough is very dangerous for young babies.
When
should my child get vaccinated?
Now. A large number of students need a Tdap
shot before the start of school next year. Avoid the rush and
make sure your child can start school on time. Make an appointment for
your incoming 7th – 12th grader to get a
Tdap booster shot now.
Children
as young as 10 years old are recommended to get vaccinated with Tdap. This will protect them against
the ongoing threat of whooping cough and will meet the Tdap school requirement for when they are in 7th
grade.
Keep
documentation of your child’s Tdap booster shot in a
safe place. Your child will need proof of
immunization in order to start school.
What
if my child has had whooping cough recently or in the past?
Your
child will still need a Tdap booster shot. Immunity
developed after having whooping cough disease wears
off, leaving your child at risk for getting whooping cough again. A Tdap booster shot is needed to both protect
your child in the future and to meet the school requirement.
Why
should my child get vaccinated?
In
addition to it being a new requirement for starting school, children who get a Tdap booster shot will be
better protected during their school years.
Immunization also helps to protect others within the home, in the
community, and at school.
Immunizations
help to prevent school closures. Many schools in
whooping cough. Students got very sick and parents
missed work and lost wages to care for their sick children.
In some
cases, schools had to close because there were not enough healthy teachers to
keep schools open.
Where
can my child get vaccinated?
Children
should visit their regular doctor or health care provider to get their Tdap shot. Children 18 years old
and younger who are uninsured or underinsured may qualify for the
Vaccines for Children Program. To find a
provider near you, call 1-877-243-8832 or visit: www.eziz.org/pages/vfc_locations2.html. Some
local
pharmacies and Health Departments may also offer the Tdap vaccine.
What
if my child does not have proof of a Tdap shot before
school starts?
He/She
may not start school. Any student who does not have proof of getting a Tdap booster shot will not be
allowed to start school until proof of immunization
is given to the school.
Are
immunization exemptions allowed under
The same
exemptions for children entering kindergarten apply.
What
if my child has received a Tdap booster shot before
10 years of age?
Your
child will be considered to have met the new school requirement with proof of
getting a dose of Tdap on
or after their 7th birthday. However, we recommend that children
receive Tdap on or after their 10th birthday
to provide better protection throughout their adolescent years.
What
other immunizations should I consider for my child?
Preteens
and teens are also recommended to receive vaccines against meningococcal disease
(brain or blood
infection), flu (influenza), HPV (human papillomavirus, a cause of cervical cancer), and any
vaccine they may
have missed during childhood. The recommended vaccine schedule may be
found at
www.getimmunized.ca.gov. Talk with your healthcare
provider for more information.
Should
parents and others at home get the Tdap vaccine?
All
persons 10 years and older are recommended to be vaccinated with Tdap now if they haven’t done so to
protect them against the ongoing threat of pertussis. Immunization also helps to protect close
contacts,
including young infants for whom pertussis
is most severe and sometimes fatal.
Where
can I go for more information?
For more
information, visit the California Department of Public Health, Immunization
Branch website at
www.getimmunizedca.org.