PA Suspends School Vaccines Requirements For 2 Months

HARRISBURG, PA — Health officials in Pennsylvania are reminding parents to ensure their children’s immunizations are up-to-date as part of back-to-school preparations.

Vaccine requirements also extend to students of cyber and charter schools, the state clarified on Monday.

Health officials recommend making immunization appointments early, as many health care providers may have delays in scheduling and decreased appointment windows due to the pandemic.

To accommodate for the backlog in appointments, the Department of Health has temporarily suspended the regulation regarding requirements for children’s immunization for two-months after the beginning of the school year or the beginning of enrollment in an early childhood education program.

Children in grades K-12 need the following immunizations for attendance: tetanus, diphtheria, polio, MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), hepatitis B, and chickenpox. Children entering the seventh grade also need additional immunizations of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV) and tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap). If a child does not have at least one dose of the above vaccinations, he or she risks exclusion from school.

“It is essential that everyone, especially children, are up-to-date on all recommended immunizations,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our state, we want to emphasize that vaccines are a safe and effective way to protect yourself from a number of serious, life-threatening diseases. Getting your vaccinations can help protect those around you, such as those with compromised immune systems who cannot get vaccinated.”