School Vaccine Information - Parents

Kids
It will be back-to-school time before you know it and the Montgomery County Office of Public Health is reminding parents to make sure their children’s vaccinations are up-to-date before the first day of school.

ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, a child must have had at least one dose of all the required vaccines or risk not being allowed in school.

Required Vaccinations for School (En Espanol)
Special Immunization Clinic Schedule
School Vaccination Requirement Fact Sheet (En Espanol)
School Vaccination Flyer for Parents (En Espanol)
Pennsylvania's School Immunization Requirements (28 PA Code Ch.23)
 
Protect your children and keep them safe from life-threatening childhood diseases.
  • Contact your healthcare provider today to make sure your child is up-to-date with all of his or her vaccinations.
  • Make vaccines part of your child’s regular school physical before they enter school.
  • Vaccines help protect children against 14 serious childhood diseases, like whooping cough and measles.
  • Vaccine-preventable diseases can be very serious, may require hospitalization, or can even be deadly – especially in young children.

When do my children need vaccines?

What if I have no health insurance or I cannot pay for my child’s vaccines?

 

                                    
The Pennsylvania Vaccines for Children (PA VFC) program is a federally funded program that provides vaccines at no cost to children who might not otherwise be vaccinated because of inability to pay.                     
PA Vaccine for Children Program (PA VFC)
Philadelphia Vaccines for Children Program
MCHD’s vaccination clinics   

Are vaccines safe?  


  • Vaccines are held to the highest standard of safety.
  • The United States has the safest, most effective vaccine supply in history.
  • Vaccines are continually monitored for safety and effectiveness.        

Vaccine Safety Resources


Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) 
IAC is a nonprofit organization that promotes immunization. You will find reliable sources of information about immunizations, including links to web sites, phone numbers, and books.      
                   
IAC Vaccine Information
This site includes a question and answer section for vaccine preventable diseases, immunization information for infants, children, and adults, a collection of "Unprotected People" stories, and more.
 
Vaccine Education Center (VEC) 
The goal of the VEC at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is to accurately communicate the facts about each childhood vaccine. VEC also publishes a monthly vaccine e-newsletter for parents titled “Parents Pack.” For more information or to subscribe, click here. 

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 

Exemptions


The only exemptions to the school laws for immunizations are:  
  • Medical reasons  
  • Religious beliefs  
  • Philosophical/strong moral or ethical conviction.                                     
If your child is exempt from immunizations, he or she may be removed from school during an outbreak. 

For more information on the vaccines that are required for your child, talk with your healthcare provider, school nurse or call the Montgomery County Office of Public Health at one of its three public health centers.

  • Pottstown Public Health Center: 610-970-5040
  • Norristown Public Health Center: 610-278-5145  
  • Willow Grove Public Health Center: 215-784-5415