CA School Vaccine Requirements and Options

With school kids preparing to head back to school, some parents are unsure of which state-mandated vaccines are required for their kids. Others have contacted the Globe livid that illegal immigrants are not required to take vaccines as America’s legal citizens are. And not to diminish the importance of America’s open border, that is a story for another day.

For the school requirements, A Voice for Choice Advocacy (AVFCA) put together a summary of California’s School Vaccine Requirements and options.

The requirements can be found at their website and are listed below. AVFCA also delves into the exemptions qualifications and process.

What vaccines are required for children to attend private or public school in California?

For children entering TK or Kindergarten:

– Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP, DTP, Tdap) — 5 doses (4 doses if last one is given after 4^th birthday)

– Polio (OPV or IPV) — 4 doses (3 doses if last one is given after 4^thbirthday)

– Hepatitis B – 3 doses

– Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) — 2 doses

– Varicella (Chickenpox) — 2 doses

For children entering 7^th grade:

– Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP, DTP, Tdap, Td) — 3 doses – one dose must be given right before 7^th grade

– Polio (OPV or IPV) — 3 doses

– Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) — 2 doses

– Varicella (Chickenpox) — 2 doses

– Hepatitis B – 3 doses (Hep B is not required for 7^th grade but is required for school and will be checked at 8^th grade or high school)

AVFCA explains the exemptions:

Children who have a Vaccine Medical Exemption, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or are homeschooled with a Private School Affidavit are not required to fulfill the California school vaccine requirements.

Notably, AVFCA explains that the Personal Belief Exemption (PBE) is no longer valid for anyone. AVFCA is “currently sponsoring a lawsuit which argues SB 277 goes against the US Constitution’s First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause and California law must include a Religious Exemption in the statute requiring children to get vaccines to be enrolled in public or private school.”

More information on that lawsuit and how to support it is on their website.

And, for more information on vaccines and exemptions, go to A Voice for Choice Advocacy.