New Health Requirements For Students

Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, parents in Illinois will be required to provide proof of a one-time “booster” vaccination for whooping cough (Tdap) for any student entering sixth or ninth grades, in addition to school physicals typically required at these grades.  The Illinois Department of Public Health issued the new school requirement last week which is endorsed by the Illinois State Superintendent of Education. Students must have an appointment to get the vaccine or have an approved medical or religious exemption on file.  Those students who don’t will not be allowed to attend school.

“Immunization is a shared responsibility,” states Patrick J. McNulty, Administrator for McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH).  “Families, health care professionals and our public health partners must work together to help protect our communities.”  MCDH encourages parents to schedule appointments now for their sixth and ninth grade students for the coming school year.  While most children are vaccinated against pertussis as infants, protection does wane over time.  This puts pre-teens, teenagers and adults at risk for the illness. 

Several outbreaks of pertussis (whooping cough) occurred during the 2011-2012 school year among children in Illinois. McHenry County reported 336 cases from August, 2011 through April, 2012 – including an ongoing outbreak that borders a school in McHenry County and Kane County.  Over half of the 336 cases involved children 10 years of age and younger; two infants were briefly hospitalized.  This eclipsed the last outbreak (191) reported by the County in 2004. 

Immunization is one of the best ways parents can protect their children against serious diseases.  Infants are particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases, which is why it is critical to provide a “circle of protection” through immunization. Vaccine is provided to uninsured and underinsured families through the federal program Vaccine for Children.  Call the MCDH clinic at 815-334-4500 for more information.  Get the latest news from MCDH on Facebook and Twitter www.twitter.com/mchenrycohealth.