More than 175,000 students will return to Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) on Tuesday.
To ensure that vaccine-preventable diseases do not interfere with learning, a certificate of immunization is required for children entering kindergarten, sixth grade, and new students transferring into schools in Virginia.
The principal will exclude students who have not complied with the required immunizations or filled out paperwork for an exemption.
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"We want to encourage parents to keep their children healthy and to help prevent the spread of disease by getting their children adequately immunized," says Elizabeth Donaldson, FCPS health services specialist.
Following are some Frequently Asked Questions about the immunization requirements for FCPS students.
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Q: What immunizations are required by Virginia law for my child to enter school this year?
A: Virginia law requires that every new student be immunized against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, mumps, measles (rubeola), German measles (rubella), and hepatitis B. Objections to this requirement that are based on religious or medical grounds may be discussed with the principal.
Virginia law also requires that all students entering sixth grade receive a booster dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) vaccine if at least five years have elapsed since the last dose was administered.
Female students entering sixth grade also are required to have the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. However, parents or guardians may opt out of immunizing their child for the HPV vaccine. HPV is the only immunization for which an opt-out does not require a medical or religious exemption.
In addition, students born on or after Jan. 1, 1997, are required to have been immunized against the chicken pox.
Q: Are there any new requirements of which I should be aware?
A: On March 3, the Virginia legislature changed some of the school entrance requirements to include the following:
- A second dose of varicella before entering kindergarten.
- A second dose of mumps before entering kindergarten.
- Four doses of polio, with one dose administered after the fourth birthday, for all new children enrolling kindergarten through 12th grade.
- Four doses of DTaP, with one dose administered after the fourth birthday, for all new children enrolling kindergarten through 12th grade.
Q: Where can I go to get my child immunized? Is there a cost for this service?
A: School-required immunizations are available each week during routine health department clinic hours, free of charge. For the fastest service and shortest wait, call for an appointment, and be sure to bring your child's immunization record to the clinic.
The health departments are offering extended clinic hours for immunizations on Tuesday, Sept. 7, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information about health department clinic locations and hours, click or call 703-246-2411.
Q: Why are immunizations important?
A: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that immunization is one of the most significant public health achievements of the 20th century.
Vaccines have eradicated smallpox, eliminated wild poliovirus in the United States, and significantly reduced the number of cases of measles, diphtheria, rubella, pertussis, and other diseases. But despite these efforts, people in the United States still die from these and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
Vaccines offer safe and effective protection from infectious diseases. By staying up-to-date on the recommended vaccines, parents can protect their children from serious, life-threatening infections.
Q: Our family recently resided overseas. Are there any special requirements for us?
A: Evidence of a negative tuberculin test administered within 90 days or a normal chest X-ray administered within 90 days is required for all students who have resided in foreign countries for five months or more during the last five years. The exceptions are those countries listed on the current Exception List for Tuberculin Skin Test, which can be found here.
Q: What if I have additional questions about immunizations?
A: The Virginia Department of Health offers a complete list of minimum immunization requirements.
For general information, FCPS also provides a call-in phone line (in Korean/English, 703-764- 7363; and Spanish/English, 703-764-7361).
