New Students Need Records of Shots
The County Department of Health Services has issued a reminder to parents that children entering school for the first time in September, including kindergartners, are required by law to have up-to-date immunization records.
All public and private schools and child-care centers throughout the county will be enforcing the “no shots, no school” policy, according to Dr. Stephen Waterman, chief of acute communicable disease control of the Department of Health Services.
The required immunizations are four diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis or whooping cough (DPT) shots, three doses of oral polio vaccine and one combined vaccine shot for measles, mumps and rubella.
Children entering school for the first time are required to have a Mantoux skin test to determine exposure to tuberculosis. First graders must have a physical examination. Influenza vaccine is required for children entering child-care centers.
Immunizations and tuberculosis skin tests are given free at all county-operated health centers.
Information is available from physicians and local county health centers. Health centers are listed in the county government section of the white pages telephone directory.
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