The Wawascene was created by Dr. Mark Stock, former Superintendent of the Wawasee Community School Corporation. Due to its local popularity, Dr. Stock has left the blog site to future Wawasee administrators.

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Thursday, February 18, 2010

Changes in Immunization Requirements for Students

The following is information from our schools' nurses explaining changes in immunization requirements for students for the 2010-2011 school year:

During the 2009 legislative session, Indiana Code 20-34-4-2 was revised, requiring the Indiana State Department of Health to “adopt rules under IC4-22-2 to require school age children to receive additional immunizations against the following: Meningitis, Varicella (Chicken Pox), and Pertussis” (Whooping Cough). Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the pertussis bacteria. Pertussis causes severe coughing fits. The pertussis booster (Tdap) is combined with tetanus toxoid.

Changes to the school immunization requirements for school year 2010-2011 are as follows:

a. All preschool and kindergarten students will be required to have 2 doses of varicella vaccine, given on or after the first birthday and separated by 3 months. For children entering preschool, kindergarten, and 1st grade, a signed statement by a healthcare provider, including date of disease, is required to document history of chickenpox.

b. All kindergarten students will be required to have 4 doses of polio vaccine, one of the required doses given on or after the fourth birthday, and at least 6 months after the previous dose.

c. All 6th - 12th grade students will be required to have 2 doses of varicella vaccine, given on or after the first birthday, and separated by age-appropriate intervals as defined by the CDC, or a history of chicken pox disease.

d. All 6th -12th grade students will be required to have 1 dose of tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) given on or after the 10th birthday.

e. All 6th -12th grade students will be required to have 1 dose of meningitis vaccine (MCV4)

These vaccines are available free at the Kosciusko County Immunization Clinic, located in the K21 Health Pavilion, 1515 Provident Drive, Suite 160, Warsaw. Hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8:30 to 12:00pm and 1:15pm to 3:30 pm. Evening clinic hours are the 1st Monday of each month, 6:00pm-8:00pm. And at the Syracuse clinic at Lakeland Youth Center on the 2nd Thursday of each month, 2:00pm to 3:30pm. Varicella vaccine is not available at the Syracuse Clinic. No appointment is necessary. Take a copy of your child's immunization record with you.

The following websites have additional resources for families to obtain information about vaccines:

The Indiana Department of Health http://www.in.gov/isdh

The Centers for Disease Control: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines

Your assistance in vaccinating your student to meet the new Indiana State requirements is very appreciated. Please contact the school nurse in your students building with any updated vaccination dates.

Wawasee Community School Health Service Staff:
Allene Dewart, LPN - Milford School, 574-658-9444
Jane Venderly, RN - Syracuse Elementary, 574-457-4484
Pam Rensberger, RN - North Webster Elementary, 574-834-7644
Robin Huffman, RN - Wawasee Middle School, 574-457-8830
Myra Alexander, RN - Wawasee High School, 574-457-3147

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great Job!!!!

Meningitis does not stop at the dorm room door.

I am the mother of an only child, Ryan, who died from of meningococcal meningitis & founder/executive director of Meningitis Angels. www.meningitis-angels.org .


What parents and students should know:
According to ACIP/CDC children ages (11) years through college freshmen should be vaccinated against meningococcal meningitis.

Knowing the early signs of meningitis & blood poisoning can improve detection of the disease & save lives? They are Unrelenting fever, leg pain, cold hands & feet & abnormal skin color can develop within (12 hours) after infection long before the more classic signs of the illness such as a rash, headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to light and impaired consciousness.

Children in daycare & those of American Indian, Eskimo & African American heritage are at a higher risk for pneumococcal & HIB meningitis.

Visit the AAP, sound Advice on Vaccines: http://www.cispimmunize.org/fam/soundadvice.html

Help Stop Meningitis!
Please join our cause and feature on your face book page. http://apps.facebook.com/causes/103719/35941843?m=6d54c0aa

Stomping Out Meningitis http://www.youtube.com/user/MeningitisAngels