Kids Need Vaccinations For School Attendance

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) reminds parents of young children that certain immunizations are required before they can enter school this fall.

“Childhood diseases can have serious, potentially deadly consequences,” said Dr. Joann Schaefer, the state’s Chief Medical Officer and the Director of Public Health.  “It’s important that kids get their shots not just because school requires them, but because it protects their health.”

Students must be protected by immunizations against the following diseases:  diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox.

According to Barbara Ludwig, Immunization Program Manager for DHHS, kindergarteners, 7th graders, and all out-of-state transfer students (regardless of the grade) need:

Three doses  for diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (DTaP), with one dose given after age 4; 3 doses of polio vaccine; 2 doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine; 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine, and at least one dose of chicken pox vaccine. The number of doses for chicken pox depends on the age of the child.

It is one dose if the dose was given before the 13th birthday; two doses if the first dose was given on or after the 13th birthday.  If the student has had the disease, then a documented history of chicken pox from the parent is accepted and vaccination is not required.

A student can attend school if a medical or religious exemption is on file but the student will be excluded during any outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.

A medical exemption is a statement from a physician stating that the immunization would be injurious to the student’s health.  A religious waiver is a notarized statement to the effect that immunization conflicts with the student’s religious beliefs.

A student may be provisionally enrolled in school if he or she has begun the required immunization schedule.  However, if the immunizations are not completed as soon as medically feasible, the child will not be able to remain enrolled in school.

“No child has to go without immunizations,” Ludwig said.  If the family’s insurance does not cover vaccinations or if the family cannot afford to pay, there is a federal program called Vaccines for Children, she said.  A medical clinic or the local health department can provide immunizations through this program.  For a list of local health departmentsclick here.

For more information on vaccines, vaccine-preventable diseases and clinic locations, please see the DHHS website

Dining Guide

• Lincoln
• Omaha
• Greater NE

Calendar

• Lincoln
• Omaha
• Greater NE