Colorado School Immunization
Requirements
    
Overview
Because the diseases childhood
vaccines protect against are contagious and can
cause very serious illness, the Colorado School
Entrance Immunization Law requires that all students
provide proof of immunizations to attend school or
child care centers. Your child’s immunization record
must be presented by the first day your child
attends school.
If a student does not have all of the
required immunizations, the school will notify the
parent or guardian. Parents have 14 days to show
documentation that the next required immunization
has been given and to complete a written plan for
completion of any additional required immunizations.
Requirements
Three more immunizations will be required for
school beginning in the fall of 2007.
Age 2 and younger and attending child care:
Immunization: PCV7 (Prevnar)
Protection: Protects against pneumococcal
disease, which is a disease that can cause a serious
infection of the blood; meningitis; and pneumonia.
Children attending child care are considered to be at
greater risk for developing pneumococcal infection
because of the group setting of child care.
Entering kindergarten:
Immunization: 2 doses of Varicella vaccine
Protection: Protects against varicella
(chickenpox), a highly contagious disease that
still causes outbreaks in Colorado and throughout
the country. Although the school law only requires
two doses of the vaccine at kindergarten entry, the
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that all children receive two doses in
order to have the best protection. Parents should check
their records to make sure their children have
received both doses of the vaccine.
Documentation requirements: Children
entering kindergarten, or students of any age who
are new to Colorado schools, who have had chickenpox must now provide proof
of the disease from a health care
provider, either in the form of a note or a lab
test. Children without this documentation will be
required to get the number of vaccine doses required for
their age by the school law.
Entering seventh grade:
Immunization: One varicella (chickenpox)
immunization, or a documented history of having the
disease (if it has not already been reported by the
parent). Although school law does not require two
vaccine doses for this age, both doses will ensure that
children have the best protection.
Entering sixth and tenth grades:
Immunization: Tdap vaccine
Protection: Boosts immunity against
tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough).
Pertussis disease, specifically, continues to be a
serious problem in Boulder County. In 2006 there
were pertussis outbreaks in eight Boulder County
schools.
The CDC recommends Tdap for everyone 10 through 64
years of age. Because pertussis is so widespread in
our community, we recommend parents get the vaccine
for each of their children, as well as for
themselves.
Exemptions
Schools have copies of the immunization plan
forms and the
Certificate of Immunization or Exemption (PDF
33 KB)
The Certificate of Immunization or Exemption must
be signed by a physician, nurse, or health
authority who can verify that the immunizations have
been received by the child.
If a medical exemption is claimed, a licensed
physician must sign the certificate. The parent,
guardian, or emancipated student must sign the
certificate for religious or personal exemptions.
Failure to supply a signed Certificate of
Immunization or Exemption will result in the student
being denied attendance in school.
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