Changes in immunization requirements for students
Effective January 1, 2005 New York State require that students be
immunized against Varicella (chickenpox), Pertussis (whooping cough)
and tetanus as requirements for school entry and attendance.
Following are the specific requirements:
6th grade to be immunized against varicella
Specifically, the varicella amendment requires the following:
- Students born on or after January 1,1994, and who enroll in the 6th grade at the beginning of the 2005-2006 school year must be immunized against varicella;
- Those students born on or after January 1,1994, and who transfer to a school in this state from another state or country after this law becomes effective on January 1. 2005. must be immunized at the time of entry into the school in the State of New York;
- Special Education students in gradeless classes who were born on or after January 1, 1994. must be immunized against varicella at the start of the 2005 -2006 school year;
- Students born on or after January 1,1994, who are repeating the 6th grade at the beginning of the 2005 - 2006 school year are required to be immunized against varicella.
Exemptions from this requirement include the following:
- A history of varicella disease as documented by a health care provider. Parental recall of the disease history is not sufficient, and will not be accepted as proof of immunity;
- A medical exemption consisting of a written statement from a physician licensed to practice in the State of New York stating that there is a valid medical contraindication to varicella vaccine. A copy of the exemption must be retained by the school;
- A statement of religious exemption written by the parent, parents, or guardian of the child stating that they hold sincere and genuine religious belief(s) which prohibit the immunization of the child. A copy of the exemption must be retained by the school. Secular principles, including philosophical exemptions are not allowed;
- Serologic proof of immunity to varicella. The serologic test is reliable for determining the immune status in a healthy person after they had a natural infection, but may not be reliable in immuno-compromised persons.
Pertusis and Tetanus required for all students
All children born on or after January 1, 2005, be immunized against
tetanus and pertusis as a requirement for entry and attendance to
any school defined by this law. A "school" means, and includes, any
public, private, or parochial child caring center, day nursery, day
care agency, nursery school, kindergarten, elementary, intermediate
or secondary school.
The only exceptions to immunization against pertussis and/or tetanus
are the aforementioned medical or religious exemptions.
The following chart provides a quick and comprehensive overview of
the immunizations necessary for school entry and attendance in
licensed day care centers, group gamily day cares, Head Starts,
nursery schools, BOCES and public and non-public elementary,
intermediate, and secondary schools in New York State.
New York State Immunization Requirements for School Entrance/Attendance (*1)
| Vaccines |
Pre-Kindergarten (Day Care, Nursery, or Pre K)(*2) |
School (K – 12) |
| Diphtheria Toxoid
Containing Vaccine Tetanus Toxoid Containing Vaccine and Pertussis Vaccine (DTaP, DTP) (*4) |
3 doses (New York
City Schools – 4 doses) (*3) 3 doses if born on or after 1/1/2005 |
3 doses (New York
City Schools – 4 doses–4 doses–required for Kindergarten
only) Not applicable until student born on or after 1/1/2005 enrolls in school |
| Polio (IPV or OPV) | 3 doses of polio vaccine3 | 3 doses of polio vaccine |
| Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) (*5) | 1 dose of measles, mumps and rubella | 2 doses of measles containing vaccine and 1 dose of each of mumps and rubella (preferably as MMR) |
| Hepatitis B | 3 doses | 3 doses of hepatitis
B vaccine Grades k-12 (as of the 2005-06 school year) (*6) |
| Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) | 3 doses if less than 15 months of age or 1 dose administered on or after 15 months of age | Not applicable |
| Varicella (Chickenpox) (*5) | Born on or after 1/1/2000 1 dose | Born on or after
1/1/98 or born on or after 1/1/94 and enrolling in 6th grade (*7) 1 dose |
1. Demonstrated serologic evidence of
either measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B or varicella antibodies
is acceptable proof of immunity to these diseases.
Diagnosis by a physician that a child/student has had
measles, mumps or varicella diseases is acceptable proof of immunity
to those diseases.
2. Children in a Pre-Kindergarten setting
should be age appropriately immunized. The number of doses depends
on the schedule recommended by the Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices (ACIP).
3. Please note at this time that New York
State requires 3 doses of diphtheria (New York City requires 4 doses
for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten only) and three doses of polio
vaccine for entry into kindergarten and for any student entering a
school in New York State for the first time. However, ACIP
recommends 4 doses of diphtheria by age 18 months and 5 doses by age
4-6 years of age. Children 4-6 years of age should receive 4 doses
if polio vaccine unless the 3rd dose is given after 4 years of age.
4. DTaP is the currently recommended
vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.
5. The New York State Department of Health
Immunization Program concurs with the ACIP which recommends that
vaccine doses administered up to 4 days before the minimum interval
or age fro measles, mumps, rubella and varicella be counted as
valid.
6. Hepatitis B - For students in grades
7-12,3 doses of Recombivax HB or Engerix-B is required, except for
those students who receive 2 doses of adult hepatitis B vaccine (Recombivax)
which is recommended for children 11-15.
7. Students enrolling in the 6th grade
includes students who are entering, repeating or transferring into
the 6th grade and students who are enrolling in gradeless classes
and are the age equivalent of 6th grade. Two (2) doses of varicella
vaccine is recommended for students who receive the first dose on or
after their 13th birthday.
For further information contact:
New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Communicable Disease
Control - Immunization Program, ESP, Corning Tower, Rm 649, Albany,
NY 12237 (518) 473-4437.
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of
Immunization, Program Support Unit, 2 Layfayette St., Box 21,
18th Floor/Mailroom, New York, NY 10007 (212) 676-2301.