IMMUNIZATIONS

Pennsylvania School Immunization Requirements for attendance in schools

Department of Health (DOH) regulations for student immunization and school attendance are as follows.

* The regulations maintain the existing exemptions to immunization for medical, religious or philosophical reasons.

The five-day rule/exclusions

Under the changes, the current provisional waiver of eight months for school children to be fully immunized is reduced to five school days. The student must obtain the next or final dose within that five-day window or risk being excluded from school. However, the student may attend school provisionally beyond the five days if he or she submits a medical certificate from a health care provider outlining the dates for additional vaccination. A health care provider includes a physician, certified nurse practitioner or a physician assistant.

Pennsylvania’s school immunization requirements state that Children in ALL grades (K-12) need the following

Immunizations for attendance:

4 doses of tetanus* (1 dose on or after 4th birthday)


4 doses of diphtheria* (1 dose on or after 4th birthday)


4 doses of polio (4th dose on or after 4th birthday, and 6 months after the 3rd dose)

2 doses of measles**W


2 doses of mumps** W

1 dose of rubella (German measles) ** W

3 doses of hepatitis B


2 doses of varicella (chickenpox) W or evidence of immunity)

* Usually given as DTP or DT or Td ** Usually given as MMR W First dose given after 12 months old.

ADDITIONAL immunization requirements

for Middle School and High School:

7th Grade:

1 dose meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV)

1 dose of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis

(Tdap) (if five years have elapsed since last tetanus immunization)

12th Grade :

2nd dose of MCV-
If one dose was given at 16 years or older, that dose will count as the 12th grade dose.

Exemption from Immunization Requirements

 *These requirements allow for the following exemptions: Medical exemption, Religious belief, or philosophical/ strong moral or ethical conviction. A signed exemption form or letter of exemption is necessary to fulfill these requirements. Even if your child is exempt from immunizations, he/she may be excluded from school during an outbreak of vaccine preventable disease.