The Indiana State Department of Health has changed the vaccination requirements for kindergarten through 12th-grade students beginning in the 2013-14 academic year.
Amanda Turney, spokesperson for the ISDH, said the change expands the requirement for two doses of chickenpox vaccine to all students.
“For the 2012-13 school year, the chickenpox vaccine is required for all students. Two doses are currently required for entry into kindergarten through second grade and sixth through 12th grade. One dose is required for entry into third through fifth grade,” the spokesperson clarified.
Alternatively, if a child has already had chickenpox, documentation of the case can be provided to the school by a health care provider in lieu of getting the child vaccinated.
Along with changes to the chickenpox vaccination requirement, ISDH recommends kindergarten students get two doses of hepatitis A vaccination and a booster dose of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine for 11th- and 12th-grade students.
For those who are not sure of their child’s status, the state provides access to Hoosiers’ immunization information on the web through MyVaxIndiana at MyVaxIndiana.in.gov. A personal identification number is required to access the records and can be obtained from health care providers.
A complete listing of all vaccinations required for K-12 students, according to the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations, is available at state.in.us/isdh/17094.htm.
Originally published in Ellettsville Journal, 2013. Republished here for archival and portfolio purposes.