Attention: Parents of 5th grade students who will be entering Middle School in September 2007...

New York State has passed 2 amendments to Public Health Law Section 2164 which affects your children.

The first amendment, which took effect in 2005, requires students entering 6th grade to provide proof of immunization to varicella (chickenpox).  The amendment requires the following:

• Students must be immunized against varicella, or

• students must provide documentation from their health care provider stating that they had chickenpox, or

• students must provide serologic proof (lab report) stating that they are immune to the disease.

The second amendment to the law, passed recently, requires students to receive a booster vaccine against tetanus, diphtheria & pertussis, commonly known as Tdap prior to entering 6th grade.  The immunization is thought to provide immunity in Middle School students against pertussis (whooping cough) at a time when their resistance to the disease is waning.

Schools are not permitted to allow children to attend without the required proof of immunization and may be subject to imposition of civil penalty of up to $2,000 per violation.

If you have questions as to whether your child is up-to-date with regard to their immunizations in light of the changes in the law, please call me @ 297-7211.