BIZS School Health Stop - Get Ready for School Vaccines

Arizona Department of Health Services sent this bulletin at 05/06/2024 08:00 AM MST

BIZS School Health Stop:

Connecting School Health Staff with Immunization Education

Get Ready for School Vaccines

Now is the time to encourage parents and guardians to schedule their child’s vaccine appointment to beat the back to school rush. This is also a good time for school health staff to review school vaccination records in preparation for the next school year.

As you know, there are differences between state immunization requirements for school attendance and national vaccination recommendations. School administrators and staff should understand the differences so parents and guardians get the necessary information to have their child both ready for school and completely protected against all vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs). These definitions can help:

Recommendations:

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) makes national vaccine recommendations that healthcare providers follow as the “best practice” to get the best protection from 17 vaccine-preventable diseases that occur in infants, children, adolescents and adults. Not all of the vaccines recommended by the ACIP Immunization Schedule are required for school or child care attendance in Arizona.

Requirements:

Children are required by Arizona statutes (A.R.S. 15-872) and rules (R9-6-702) to submit documentary proof of immunizations to enter/attend public, charter or private school, preschool, and child care, unless a valid Arizona Department of Health Services exemption form is submitted to the facility.
Child care, Preschool and Head Start require hepatitis B, diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis (DTaP), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and varicella immunizations for all children. Hepatitis A vaccine is required in Maricopa County.

Kindergarten to 12th grade schools require hepatitis B, polio, MMR, varicella, DTaP or Tdap (tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis), and Meningococcal ACWY vaccines.

Resources:

Consider taking advantage of The Arizona Partnership for Immunization (TAPI) free Training on Immunization Strategies (T.I.P.S.) held around the state to bolster your knowledge of vaccinations.
Healthy Kids AZ - Apps on Google Play - Healthy Kids AZ is an all-in-one resource for Arizona’s school nurses and childcare staff.
- Access the AZ Infectious Disease and Injury Prevention “Flip Charts”
- Search for public clinics, FQHCs, RHCs, dental clinics, and vision clinics in your area
- Contact your local public health dept. with 1-click
- Find AZ required vaccines and infection control guidance
Immunization Screening and Referral Form for Kindergarten-12th Grade
ADHS School and Childcare webpage
The Arizona Revised Statutes Title 15

The Bureau of Immunization Services (BIZS) has clinical staff available to assist with your immunization questions. Contact the following individuals (or your county health department) for assistance:

Kate Whitman, MSE, BSN, Kathleen.Whitman@azdhs.gov, 480-259-5342

Sharon Sweeney, MPH, BSN, Sharon.Sweeney@azdhs.gov, 480-261-5557