Vaccinations that block life-threatening diseases are one of mankind's most important health accomplishments. They have saved millions from premature death and save millions more from serious illness. While vaccinations carry some risk, the medical, social and economic benefits they have brought about have led all 50 states to pass compulsory childhood vaccination laws to stop the spread of major diseases.

The Pennsylvania Health Department has set stricter guidelines for students to be fully immunized, and these changes will take effect on Aug. 1 in time for the 2017-18 school year.One of the major changes reduces the provisional waiver from eight months to five school days for school children to be fully immunized.The student must get the next or final dose within that five-day window or risk being excluded from school. We support this effort to prevent contagious diseases from spreading throughout the student population and beyond.There are some exceptions: Students will be able to attend classes provisionally beyond the five days if they submit a medical certificate from a health care provider setting down the dates for additional vaccinations. (A health care provider is identified as a physician, certified nurse practitioner or a physician assistant.)The students who have not received all of the doses for a multiple dose series by their first day of class will not be able to attend school unless the five-day rule can be met or a medical certificate is provided.Students who have not received a single dose of vaccine by their first day of attendance for the school year may not be admitted, the Health Department said.There are other important changes, too. Students must now have one additional dose of meningococcal vaccine before entering their senior year or in an ungraded school in the school year when the student turns 18.The state says that vaccines are held to the highest standard of safety, that the U.S. has the safest, most effective vaccine supply in history and that vaccines are continually monitored for safety and effectiveness.Here are the updated requirements that will take effect Aug. 1:Pennsylvania immunization schedule• Students entering kindergarten need:4 doses of tetanus* (1 dose, age 4);4 doses of diphtheria* (1 dose, age 4);3 doses of polio;2 doses of measles; **2 doses of mumps; **1 dose of rubella (German measles); **3 dose of hepatitis B; and2 doses of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine or history of disease.• Students entering seventh grade need:1 dose of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) if five years have passed since last tetanus immunization; and1 dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine• Students entering 12th grade need1 additional dose of meningococcal vaccine* Usually given as DTP, DTaP, DT or Td** Usually given as MMRThe only exemptions to the school laws for immunizations are: medical reasons, religious beliefs or strong moral or ethical conviction.Medical practitioners warn that the decision not to get vaccinated for any of these reasons presents a risk to not only the child involved but to other children with whom the child comes in contact and to the general population.Twenty-eight states, including Florida, Massachusetts and New York, allow parents to opt out for medical or religious reasons only. Twenty other states, including Pennsylvania, include the third reason, as well. Mississippi and West Virginia allow exemptions for medical reasons only.Dr. Claire McCarthy, a pediatrician at Boston Children's Hospital, said that some parents believe that such illnesses as polio and measles have been eradicated or aren't serious medical issues today. She said some parents insist that vaccines cause autism or serious side effects. Parents are also concerned that their children get too many vaccinations at once, she said. McCarthy also pointed to the conspiracy theory, that some parents believe there is collusion between doctors and pharmaceutical companies.We agree with McCarthy and other medical professionals who say that educating yourself about these myths is the first step in debunking them.By Bruce Frassinelli |

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