NEW HEALTH AND IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS
The State of New Jersey recently mandated additional immunization requirements for children entering any child care, preschool or pre-kindergarten program. Effective January 7, 2008 the following vaccines are required:
For children entering or attending any child care, pre-school or pre-kindergarten:
2 doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) if the child is between 2 and 11 months of age 1 dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) on or after the 1st birthday 1 dose of Influenza vaccine given each year between September 1st and December 31st.
These are in addition to the previously mandated vaccines of 4 doses of Dtap (Diphtheria, Tetanus, and acellular Pertussis), 3 doses of Polio, 1 dose of MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), 1 dose of Varicella, and 4 doses of Hib (hemophilus influenza) vaccine. All vaccines need to contain one dose received after the child’s first (1st) birthday, except Polio.
For children entering the sixth grade, born on or after January 1 1997:
1 dose of meningococcal vaccine 1 dose of Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular Pertussis)
We are informing you of the new requirements, at this time, so that you may review your child’s health record with his or her health care provider as soon as possible. Please take action now to ensure that your child or children receive the necessary immunizations before the start of school in September, in order to be in compliance with the new state law.
To avoid exclusion from school, written verification of immunizations, with the full date(s) of administration, must be presented from the practitioner’s office to the school health office by the first day of school in September.
As notice to parents or guardians of children entering Kindergarten or first grade for the first time, there are no new recommendations. However, a practitioner’s note must still be presented showing the child has received 1 Dtap, 1 Polio, 1 MMR booster after the fourth (4th) birthday, as well as the varicella vaccine and the completion of the Hepatitis B vaccine series.
If there are any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the school nurse. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Mrs. Cynthia Moore, RN,
at 856-299-0950.