Health Services
School Vaccination Information for Parents
The Department of Health is changing school immunization regulations beginning in August 2017. The regulations are intended to ensure that children attending school in the commonwealth are adequately protected against potential outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases.
A Child Must have Required Vaccines or Risk Exclusion from School.
A child must have the required medically appropriate vaccines or a plan to complete those vaccines or risk exclusion trom school.Al child may still obtain medical, religious or philosophical exemption from meeting the immunization requirements. Talk to your child's pediatrician about the vaccines your child needs to attend school.
New Vaccination Requirements:
- combination form for diphtheria and tetanus:
- pertussis vaccination;
- combination form for measles, mumps and rubella; and
- meningococcal conjugate vaccine for entry into 12th grade, or in an ungraded school, in the school year the child turns 18.
For more information on the vaccines your child needs to attend school, visit online or talk to your child's pediatrician.
The Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program provides vaccines to children who do not have health insurance. Children who are insured but whose insurance does not cover immunizations are also eligible to receive federally funded vaccines at public sites, including Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics. For more information regarding PA’s VFC Program, contact 1-888-646-6864.