The Department of Health has changed school immunization regulations as of August 2017. The regulations are intended to ensure that children attending school in the commonwealth are adequately protected against potential outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.

What can you do as a healthcare provider to ensure your patients are ready for their first day of school? 

• Educate your entire practice team about the new requirements.
• Educate your patients and families about the new requirements. Hang posters provided by the Montgomery County of Public Health (OPH) (put hyperlink to our flyer) and share the message, “IMMUNIZE! It’s the Rule for Back to School” on social media.
• Proactively identify your patients who have not yet received these immunizations through whatever means possible (such as running recalls in your EHR or practice management system).
• Reach out to these families and bring patients into your office to receive needed vaccines as soon as possible.
• Use every opportunity to immunize! (Sick visits, signing driver’s permits, sibling visits, etc.)
• Share your patient’s immunization records with the school they are attending. Verbal consent is all that is needed. For more information click here.

Resources

 
CDC Recommended Immunization Schedules for HCPs
CDC Vaccine Safety
Immunization Materials Order Form
Medical Certificate (You may print this out or order the form here)
Memorandum For: Healthcare Providers in Montgomery County, PA
PADOH School Immunizations
PA State Law and Regulations
Required Vaccinations for School (En Espanol)
Revisions to School Immunization Law August 7, 2017
School Immunization Rates
Vaccines for Children (VFC)

Reliable Sources of Immunization Information

The “Pink Book”. The 13th Edition Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, a.k.a. the "Pink Book," provides physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and others with the most comprehensive information on routinely used vaccines and the diseases they prevent. Six appendices contain a wealth of reference materials including: vaccine minimum ages and intervals, current and discontinued vaccines, vaccine contents, foreign vaccine terms, and more. 

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Timely immunizations for parents.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Vaccine safety resources are available for both parents and health care professionals.  

Immunization Action Coalition: Information about immunizations, including links to Web sites, phone numbers, and books.                        
Immunization Action Coalition - 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 Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS): National vaccine safety surveillance program co-sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  

Reporting a suspected or confirmed case of a vaccine-preventable disease

To report a suspected or confirmed case of a vaccine-preventable disease, please contact the OPH’s Division of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention at 610-278-5117. Reports are required for diseases that affect school-age children and/or the staff and faculty of a school. Reporting should occur for the following: measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis, varicella, haemophilus influenzae invasive disease, tetanus, diphtheria, and lab-confirmed influenza. At the time of the disease report, the OPH staff will provide recommendations to the school based on information obtained during the investigation (e.g. exclusion of an individual from school and activities, review of immunization records to identify susceptible persons and notification to the school community). Each event is unique therefore guidance is not shared in advance. It is necessary for public health officials to always confirm disease first and then provide recommendations that are tailored to control and prevent disease. There are many factors which determine the appropriate preventative measures which may include disease education, isolation, quarantine and social distancing among other strategies.