Revised Immunization for Kindergarten Students

If your child is starting school this fall, there are two new required shots he or she will need. Starting this month, every kindergartner must have received the hepatitis A and chicken pox vaccines.

The Utah Department of Health adopted the change after a recommendation for the Centers for Disease Control.

Links and More Info: Immunization Requirements For School Aged Children (Utah Dept. of Health) Immunization Guidebook (.pdf format) Vaccines for Children Program (offers no-cost or low-cost vaccines for eligible children) Immunization Hotline: 1-800-275-0659

Between 1987 and 1997, Utah was one of 11 high risk states for hepatitis A. The disease is spread by infected people and by eating and drinking contaminated food or water.

Becky Ward/Utah Dept. of Health: "HEPATITIS A CAN OCCUR VERY COMMONLY AMONG THE AGES OF 5 TO 14 YEARS OF AGE. SO BY IMPLEMENTING THE STRATEGY AT SCHOOL ENTRY, WE'RE HOPING TO SEE A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF DISEASES, AS WITH THE CHICKEN POX VACCINE."

Other immunization requirements include:

• diptheria
• tetanus and pertussis
• polio
• measles mumps rubella
• hepatitis B