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Officials approve adding more vaccinations
Published May 3, 2009
Area students will be sporting a Band-Aid on their arm more often this summer after Texas officials approved adding more vaccinations to the list needed to attend public school.
The new rule, approved by the Texas Department of State Heath Services in March, takes effect Aug. 1, said Becky Gore-LaRoche, coordinator of heath services at Brazosport ISD. Students entering kindergarten or seventh grade who have not had the new shots will not be allowed to start school this fall, she said.
Brazosport ISD is doing what it can to ensure the older students are in compliance by hosting a series of immunization clinics on campuses where next year’s more than 900 seventh-graders now attend classes.
Incoming seventh-graders must have one dose of meningococcal vaccine to protect against meningitis; one booster dose of Tdap vaccine to protect against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis; and an additional dose of the Varicella vaccine to protect against chicken pox, Gore-LaRoche said.
The chicken pox vaccine is in addition to the one already required when the students entered kindergarten. Students who already have had chicken pox do not need the Varicella vaccine, she said.
These vaccine requirements effectively will eliminate the diseases in schools, Gore-LaRoche said. Schools have experienced problems with students who have chicken pox despite their vaccination, she said.
“In five to six years, all high school students will be vaccinated,” Gore-LaRoche said.
Kindergarten students must have four more vaccinations on top of the 14 already required.
Two doses of Hepatitis A, received six months apart, and additional doses of the measles, mumps and rubella and Varicella vaccines must be taken before kindergartners are allowed to attend school, said Linda Coronado, Texas Vaccine for Children program manager in Brazoria County.
The Hepatitis A vaccine is recommended by doctors, but this is the first time it is required, Gore-LaRoche she said. As long as the children have received their first dose of the vaccine and plan to receive their second dose, students can attend school, she said.
According to a statement by the Texas Department of State Health Services, the changes were made to adhere more closely to recommendations by the federal Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, said Laura Soria, director of nurses at the Brazoria County Health Department.
The immunizations can be administered by a family physician, and parents might only have to pay a $15 administration fee if the clinic is a member of the Texas Vaccinations for Children Program, said Leo O’Gorman, director at the Brazoria County Health Department. Immunizations also can be received for free at any area health department office if a family has no insurance and is unable to pay, he said.
Brazosport ISD also is hosting health department nurses at each school that has sixth-graders to allow students the opportunity to conveniently receive their shots, Gore-LaRoche said. Packets have been sent home with children to inform parents of this opportunity.
Stephen F. Austin Elementary had its vaccination March 27 and Rasco Middle School on Thursday. Lanier Middle School will host nurses Friday, and Clute Intermediate will dispense vaccines May 22. These shots are free, Gore-LaRoche said.
Once students are vaccinated, they should return the proof of immunization to their school nurse so the child can be cleared for fall enrollment, Gore-LaRoche said.
Other school districts are publishing similar information online.
At Angleton ISD, officials have placed immunization information online and in student handbooks, said Kalean Bowie, director of student services. They also will likely send a note home with parents, she said.
Columbia-Brazoria ISD also has sent fliers home with children alerting parents of the changes, said Jennifer Moffit, spokeswoman for the district.
Sweeny ISD has sent home letters to parents and posted the changes to the school district’s Web site, Superintendent Randy Miksch said. Alvin ISD has posted the changes on its Web site and is communicating with parents, said Shirley Brothers, public relations coordinator for Alvin ISD.
Area officials hope parents begin having their children immunized as soon as possible to avoid the August rush, Soria said. Though they are unsure how many children will need to be immunized, they know the number will be high, she said.
“We’re going to have to immunize a lot more children in a short period of time,” she said.
Katlynn Lanham is a reporter for The Facts. Contact her at (979) 237-0150.
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TAKE A SHOT
• Immunizations can be administered by a family physician, and parents might have to pay only a $15 administration fee if the clinic is a member of the Texas Vaccinations for Children program.
• Immunizations can be received for free at any area health department office if a family has no insurance and is unable to pay.
• Free shot clinics for students will take place Friday at Lanier Middle School and May 22 at Clute Intermediate School.
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