by Jennifer Tangeman
Starting next school year three vaccines will be required by the state for students.
During the 2009 legislative session, new immunization requirements were adopted which require certain school-age children to receive additional immunizations.
Three vaccines — two doses of chickenpox vaccine, one dose of tetanus-diptheria-acellular pertussis vaccine and one dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine, are now state-mandated for students entering grades six through 12.
Public health nurse Susie Bennett of the Cass County Health Department said the vaccines have always been recommended by the state.
“They have been recommendations for years, and now they will be required for sixth through 12th grade,” Bennett said.
She said most students have probably already had the three vaccines.
“Just like any vaccine, they want to prevent communicable diseases in the school corporations,” Bennett said. “And they will be pushing for the students to get these three vaccines.”
Bennett explained health officials want students to get a second dose of the chickenpox vaccine because immunity seems to wan after just one dose.
She said the tetanus-diptheria-acellular pertussis vaccine, or TDAP, now includes protection for whooping cough, which health officials see as a needed benefit, “so students don’t give it to a baby or younger sibling or relative.”
Meningitis vaccine, while previously aimed at those entering college, has been deemed important for K-12 students as well because the disease is so easily transferred.
“They want to prevent it in the school system because it is pretty easily communicated from one student to another through respiratory secretions,” the nurse said.
Although the vaccines will not be mandatory until next school year, Bennett said now is the time to call the health department to make appointments for students.
“We are booking up really quickly,” she said. “They need to make an appointment as soon as possible.”
Bennett said the department plans to schedule days specifically to give school age children the three vaccines, but even with time set aside time slots are becoming limited.
“It very likely could be too late if they wait until the summer to try to schedule an appointment,” she said.
The Cass County Health Department offers free vaccines for children 18 years of age and under by appointment only. The department is located in Suite 230 of Logansport Memorial Hospital’s medical office building west. Call 574-753-7760 for an appointment.
• Jennifer Tangeman is a reporter for the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5148 or jennifer.tangeman@pharostribune.com.
