August is National Immunization Awareness Month.
Parents have plenty of items on their to-do lists with a new school year approaching. Making sure their children’s vaccinations are up to date should be near the top of those lists, says Dr. Iyabode Akinsanya-Beysolow, MD, MPH, a pediatrician and a medical officer for the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Vaccinating your children according to CDC’s recommended schedule is one of the best ways you can protect them from 14 harmful and potentially deadly diseases before their second birthday,” Dr. Akinsanya-Beysolow said. “Following the recommended schedule protects as many children as possible, before they are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases.”
The Westchester County Health Department gives details on its Patch blog about free immunizations through Sept. 9 by appointment for children who are uninsured or whose insurance does not cover vaccines.
Here are the New York State school immunization requirements for school entrance/attendance:
Diphtheria Toxoid-Containing Vaccine
- 3 doses (Day Care, Nursery, Head Start or Pre-K)
- 3 doses (K-12)
Tetanus Toxoid-Containing Vaccine and Pertussis Vaccine (DTaP, DTP)
- 3 doses if born on or after Jan. 1, 2005 (Day Care, Nursery, Head Start or Pre-K)
- 3 doses if born on or after Jan. 1, 2005 (K-12)
Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis Booster (Tdap)
- Not applicable (Day Care, Nursery, Head Start or Pre-K)
- Born on or after Jan. 1, 1994 and enrolling in grades 6-10 for 2013-2014 school year-1 dose (K-12)
Polio (IPV or OPV)
- 3 doses (Day Care, Nursery, Head Start or Pre-K)
- 3 doses (K-12)
Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)
- 1 dose (Day Care, Nursery, Head Start or Pre-K)
- 2 doses of measles-containing vaccine and 1 dose each of mumps and rubella, preferably as MMR (K-12)
Hepatitis B
- 3 doses (Day Care, Nursery, Head Start or Pre-K)
- 3 doses (K-12)
Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib)
- 3 doses if less than 15 months of age OR 1 dose administered on or after 15 months of age (Day Care, Nursery, Head Start or Pre-K)
- Not applicable (K-12)
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV)
- Born on or after Jan. 1, 2008 4 doses by 15 months of age, given at age-appropriate times and intervals (Day Care, Nursery, Head Start or Pre-K)
- Not applicable (K-12)
Varicella (Chickenpox) 1 Dose
- Born on or after Jan. 1, 2000 (Day Care, Nursery, Head Start or Pre-K)
- 1 dose (K-12)
In addition to the aforementioned required immunizations, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommend the following: influenza, meningococcal, rotavirus, hepatitis A and human papilloma virus vaccines, as well as additional doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, mumps, rubella, polio, haemophilus influenzae type b and varicella vaccines. Some of these may be required for post-secondary school enrollment.
New York State’s Vaccines for Children Program (VFC) provides required vaccines are to health care providers at no cost for uninsured children and those whose health insurance does not cover childhood immunizations, according to the Nassau County health department.
Carisa Giardino contributed to this report.
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