KDHE Reminds Parents to Ensure Children Get Immunizations for School Entry
Hepatitis B and Varicella (chickenpox) vaccination requirements changed last year

As parents and children prepare for the upcoming school year, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is reminding Kansans of the requirements of certain immunizations for school entry and is providing the most up-to-date guidance on vaccination requirements.

"The vaccination requirements for school entry have changed this year, and we have provided that information to parents, school nurses and other health care professionals," said Michael Runau, Director of the Kansas Immunization Program at KDHE.

Kansas schoolchildren enrolling in kindergarten, first grade or second grade during the 2006-2007 school year must be vaccinated against hepatitis B and varicella (chickenpox). The first dose of the three dose series of hepatitis B must be taken for school entry. The two remaining doses are required once a child enters school.

One dose of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine should be given at 12-15 months of age. This has been a requirement for school entry in Kansas in the past. Now, a second dose is recommended for children four to six years old, to further improve protection against the disease.

Children in Kansas should be vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, HIB (haemophilus influenzae type b), polio, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox) by the time they are 18 months of age.

School entry requirements in Kansas are as follows:

• Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and MMR vaccine

 
• The additional requirement for one dose of varicella and the hepatitis B series are for kindergarten, first and second grades this school year (2006-2007). Last year was the first year these vaccines were included in the school-entry list. The second dose of varicella is recommended at ages 4-6, but is not a requirement for school entry.

In the 2004-2005 school year (the most recent year for which statistics are currently available), immunization rates for children 5 years of age were:

• 97% for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis
• 99% for polio
• 99% for measles, mumps, and rubella
• 87% for Haemophilus influenzae type B (not required for school entry in 2004-2005)
• 96% for hepatitis B
• 78.8% for varicella (chickenpox)

"It's very important that Kansas children be immunized against preventable childhood diseases, such as polio, rubella, and others," said Dr. Howard Rodenberg, Director of the KDHE Division of Health and State Health Officer. "Were it not for routine childhood vaccination, many of these diseases would still be prevalent today, as they are in many other parts of the world."

Every year, vaccination saves nearly 3 million lives and prevents over 750,000 children from being disabled as a result of infectious disease. For more information about recommended immunizations for school entry, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web site at www.cdc.gov/nip/recs/child-schedule.htm.

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