School Immunization Information

2021 Childhood Vaccine School-Requirements House Bill 1090

La informacion en Espanol AQUI

The Virginia General Assembly passed House Bill 1090 which effectively requires Virginia's immunization recommendations and requirements to coincide with the recommendations of the Centers for Disability Control (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

What are the changes regarding kindergarten school entry vaccination requirements? Before children enter kindergarten they now need two properly spaced doses of the hepatitis A vaccine (HAV). The first dose should be administered at age 12 months or older. The HAV vaccine requirement is an addition to the existing kindergarten vaccine requirements according to the ACIP vaccine schedule. Prior to the law going into effect children entering kindergarten were not required to have the HAV vaccine.

With the new requirements, are students in 1st grade and above required to receive the HAV vaccine doses? No, rising 1st grade students and above will be considered "grandfathered" and will not be required to receive the HAV vaccine doses.

If a 1st grade student comes to Virginia from out of state, will they be required to have the HAV vaccine doses for school entry? No, the 1st grader is not required to have the Hep A series, however, it is recommended.

If a Kindergarten student presents with only one dose of the HAV vaccine on the 1st day of school, can the student receive a conditional enrollment? Yes, the student can receive a conditional enrollment as long as the student has received the 1st dose of the HAV 2-dose series. The conditional enrollment period is 180 days.

What are the changes regarding 7th-grade school entry vaccination requirements? Children entering 7th grade are required to present proof of their first dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, one booster of the tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis vaccine (Tdap), and their first dose of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY). All are required for both boys and girls before entering the 7th grade.

My child is entering the 12th grade, what vaccines will they need to enter school? If your child is entering 12th grade, they will need to have a booster dose of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY).

If a rising 12th-grade student has already received a dose of the MenACWY at the age of 11, is the student required to have the second dose of the vaccine, or has the requirement been met? The 12th grade student would still need the MenACWY at 16 years of age or older, regardless of the MenACWY dose received at 11 years of age.

Can a student be conditionally enrolled if they do not have the required vaccinations before school starts? In order for a student to be conditionally enrolled, the student must have proof of having received at least one (1) dose of each of the required immunizations and have a schedule on file to receive the remainder of the required doses within 90 days (or in the case of hepatitis A and hepatitis B, 180 days). Therefore, if the student has not received the 1st dose of the meningococcal vaccine, the student is not eligible to receive a conditional enrollment.

With the new requirements, are rising 8th-11th grade students, required to receive two doses of MenACWY? No, rising 8th-11th grade students will be considered "grandfathered" and will not be required to receive the 7th grade MenACWY dose.

If a child without any high risk conditions received a dose of MenACWY (Menactra, MenQuadfi or Menveo) vaccine at age 10 years, does the child need to be revaccinated at age 11-12 years? No. ACIP considers a dose of MenACWY given to a 10-year-old child to be valid for the first dose in the adolescent series. Doses given before age 10 years should not be counted. The child should receive the second (booster) dose at age 16 years as usual.

If a student is missing the HPV vaccine, will they be allowed to attend school? A parent or guardian has the right to decide if a child receives the HPV vaccine. A student is allowed to attend school and be missing HPV. Parents are encouraged to discuss this with your healthcare provider

The chart below details the minimum requirements for all immunizations:

For further information please refer to your physician.
You may also call the Division of Immunization at 1-800-568-1929 ( in state only) or 804-864-8055.

Immunizations required

Antigens Kindergarten Minimum Required Notes Sixth Required Minimum Required Notes
Diphtheria, Tetanus & Pertussis vaccines (Dtap or Tdap)* 4 doses of Dtap - one on or after the 4th birthday typically 5 are given by entry into kindergarten One booster dose of Tdap (a different vaccine than DTaP) if a tetanus-containing vaccine (typically Td) has been given in the last 5 years, the requirement is met
Hepatitis B vaccine 3 doses Same as for Kindergarten If a child is 11-15 years of age at the time of vaccination, only 2 doses are needed if the adult dose of Recombivax HB is used
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine not applicable 3 doses for female students UNIQUE in that no documentation of vaccination or exemption is required
Measles, Mumps & Rubella vaccines 2 doses of Measles and Mumps; 1 dose of rubella not usually a problem for children born in the US as 2 doses of MMR are typically given; foreign-born children may have received single antigen vaccines Same as for Kindergarten Same as for Kindergarten
Polio Vaccine** 4 doses - one on or after the 4th birthday Same as for Kindergarten Same as for Kindergarten
Varicella (chickenpox) Vaccine 2 doses 1 dose required for those born on/after 1/1/97
Hepatitis A vaccine (HAV) 2 doses
Meningococcal MenAWCY One dose with a booster dose before entering 12th grade

Immunization is by far the best way to prevent pertussis (whooping cough):

  • In the United States, the recommended pertussis vaccine for children is called DTaP. For maximum protection against pertussis, children need 5 DTaP shots.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) recommends that the first three shots are given at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. The fourth shot is given between 15 and 18 months. A fifth shot is given when a child enters school, at 4 to 6 years of age.

Polio has not been reported in the United States for many years, primarily due to routine vaccination that began in the 1950s. Unfortunately, polio has not been fully eliminated throughout the world, and the CDC still recommends that all US children receive a full schedule of IPV (inactivated poliovirus vaccine)

The CDC recommends that children receive 4 doses of IPV at the following ages

  • A dose at 2 months
  • A dose at 4 months
  • A dose at 6-18 months
  • A booster dose at 4-6 years

Infection caused by hepatitis A virus is the most commonly reported vaccine-preventable hepatitis infection in the United States. Infection caused by hepatitis A virus is usually mild but, when it is severe, it can cause children to miss many days of school. Approximately 1 in 5 infected children under the age of 5 years of age are hospitalized.

You may not be able to tell if your child or a playmate has hepatitis A. Children who get hepatitis A may have fever, jaundice (Yellowing of the skin and eyes), tiredness, and loss of appetite. Others may not have any signs or symptoms but can still spread the disease.

Hepatitis A virus is spread through contact with stool, person to person contact, or by eating or drinking contaminated foods or liquids. Because young children are often not careful with personal hygiene, hepatitis A can spread easily, putting children in school and play settings at risk. For children, the first dose of vaccine should be given at 12 to 23 months of age. Children who are not vaccinated by 2 years of age can be vaccinated at later visits.. Two doses of the vaccine are needed for lasting protection. These doses should be given at least six months apart. Hepatitis A vaccine can be given at the same time as other vaccines.

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