New Texas State Vaccine Requirements

Effective August 1, 2009

On March 5, 2009, the Executive Commission on Health and Human Services for the State of Texas approved changes to state immunization requirements for elementary and secondary school age children.  These changes adhere to recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).  New state immunization requirements include:

§ Hepatitis A

– All students entering kindergarten statewide will be required to have 2 doses.

§ MMR (Measles Mumps Rubella)

– All students entering kindergarten will be required to have 2 doses.

§ Varicella (Chicken Pox)

– All students entering kindergarten and 7^th grade will be required to have 2 doses.

– A written statement from a parent, school nurse, or physician attesting varicella disease is acceptable.

• TdaP (Tetanus Diphtheria and acellular Pertussis)

– All students entering 7^th grade will be required to have one dose of TdaP unless it has been less then 5 years since receiving their last dose of tetanus containing vaccine.   

– Students in the 7^th grade will be required to have a booster dose of TdaP only if it has been five years since their last dose of a tetanus containing vaccine.

– Students in grades 8-12 are required to have a TdaP if it has been ten years since their previous dose.

§ Meningococcal Vaccine (Meningitis)

– All students entering 7^th grade will be required to have one dose of meningococcal vaccine.

The physicians and staff at Family HealthCare Associates are committed to protecting your child and family against vaccine preventable diseases.  Please make an appointment today to evaluate your child’s immunization status.