The North Carolina Commission for Public Health has made several changes to the rules regarding vaccination of school-aged children and college students.
Effective January 1, 2008, vaccination rules include requirements for a booster dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis) vaccine and a second dose of mumps vaccine. These rule changes will go into affect beginning with the 2008-09 school year.
The new rule states that a booster dose of Tdap vaccine is required for the following individuals:
• all students attending public schools who are entering the sixth grade on or after August 1, 2008 if five years or more have passed since the last dose of tetanus/diphtheria toxoid;
• all students not attending public schools who are 12 years of age on or after August 1, 2008 if five years or more have passed since the last dose of tetanus/diphtheria toxoid; and
• individuals enrolling in college or university for the first time on or after July 1, 2008 if a tetanus/diphtheria toxoid or tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis vaccine has not been administered within the past 10 years.
The administrative rule change also impacts the mumps vaccination. Individuals are now required to receive a second dose of mumps vaccine before enrolling in school, college or university for the first time. However, any child entering school prior to July 1, 2008 is not required to receive a second dose of mumps vaccine. Children were previously required to have only one dose of mumps vaccine. Most children already receive two doses of the MMR vaccine (measles-mumps-rubella) by age four. Therefore, this rule will primarily affect children who received single antigen doses of the vaccines.
Students will be able to receive the booster dose of Tdap and the second dose of mumps vaccination for free through their physician or local health department, though physicians may charge a small fee to administer it.
Fore more information, visit www.immunizenc.com, contact your physician, your local health department or the immunization branch at 707-5550.