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August 12, 2009

Back to School Checklist Includes Immunizations

Reminding Parents of New Requirements & Latest on H1N1

Last year, families learned of changes to rules (Chapter HFS 144) governing student immunization in Wisconsin. Seeing as those changes still relatively new, parents are double-checking that their children meet the requirements.

The changes affect:

Children in K-12 public and private school settings
Pre-kindergarten students
Children in day care centers

Immunization changes (new requirements) made for the 2008-2009 school year were:

Pneumococcal vaccination for students in day care centers. The typical series consists of at least 3 doses however, for children who begin this vaccine series at 12-23 months of age only 2 total doses are required and for children who begin the series at 24 months of age only 1 dose is required).
Single Tdap dose (adolescent tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccine) for students entering grades 6, 9 and 12 who have not received a dose of tetanus/diphtheria vaccine within the past 5 years.
Second dose of Varicella vaccine for students entering grades K, 6, and 12, especially students who do not have a reliable history of chicken pox disease.

In this digital age, the previous “written evidence of immunization” is now updated to include electronic medical records. Immunization records are available to parents through their child’s primary care provider.

“Immunizations protect against infection that might lead to significant and often prolonged illness,” says Dean Pediatrician Larry Elfman, MD. “Vaccinating individual children also leads to ‘herd immunity’; keeping the infectious organisms out of circulation in our schools, communities and even an entire hemisphere.”

H1N1 is a specific strain of Influenza Type A that has been in circulation since Spring. It spreads in the same manner as the more common strains of Influenza, through the respiratory droplets (cough, sneezing) of infected individuals. The regular flu vaccine to be used for the 2009-10 season, developed in early 2009, will not protect against H1N1. The CDC continues to monitor worldwide activity and will soon be making recommendations for use of a new vaccine specific for H1N1 which is currently in testing and likely to be available later this year.

For more parent resources, head to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services site:

Age/Grade Requirements for 2009-2010 School Year

School Fact Sheet for Parents

For more information about Dean's immunizations or to arrange an interview with Dr. Larry Elfman, contact Dean Health System Communications Manager Melissa Wollering at (608) 250-1504.