Georgia law states that the Department of Human Resources shall decide which immunizations are required for school and daycare entry in Georgia. Last week, the board approved new requirements that are more in line with the U.S. recommended vaccine schedule. The new requirements go into effect on July 1st.

The additional requirements include:

  • A second dose of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine for children entering kindergarten or 6th grade (or Georgia schools for the first time).
  • A second dose of mumps vaccine, or proof of immunity, for children entering kindergarten or 6th grade (or Georgia schools for the first time).
  • Hepatitis A vaccine or proof of immunity for children born after January 1, 2006.
  • Pneumococcal vaccine for children under 5 attending daycare, Head Start, or Pre-K programs.

A new 3231 Form goes into effect on March 1st (though it was not available as promised on March 1st, the day this article was written). Four-year-old children, who met the 2006 school year requirements and were issued Form 3231, must have their immunization status evaluated for entry into Kindergarten in the fall of 2007. Upon evaluation, the required immunizations should be administered and a new certificate (Form 3231) issued.

The recommendation for a second, booster dose of varicella vaccine is new in 2007. It is given at age 4-5 with the other boosters, or later if the child has not had it. The mumps booster is new, but a measles booster has been required for many years, and since almost all children receive measles and mumps together in the MMR vaccine, this should not really be an issue for most children.

The hepatitis A vaccine recommendation for all children was made in 2006. It is given at ages 12 and 18 months, or later if the child has not had the vaccine. Note that the requirement is only for children born after January 1, 2006; older children do not have to receive this vaccine to attend school.

Pneumococcal vaccine has been recommended and part of the routine immunization schedule since 2000. Most children usually receive this vaccine; now it will be required to attend child care centers. I am not sure why they are making this vaccine required, other than the fact that it is part of the recommended immunization schedule. Pneumococcus, the bacterial disease that the vaccine prevents, is not generally contagious. It does not spread from child to child.