An Update from the Department of Immunology

Immunization Reminder Email

 

This email serves as a reminder that any student in the Commonwealth of PA should have immunizations and subsequent boosters appropriate for the student’s age on or before the start of the school year.

 

For the 2018-19 SY, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) are assessing whether any districts are facing difficulties obtaining the required immunizations.

 

If your LEA is experiencing significant numbers of students who still have not received the required immunizations, please call the Division of Immunizations at 717-787-5681.

Individuals at the DOH and/or the PDE will follow up accordingly.

 

To assist parents, there are State Health Centers, which hold regular immunization clinics.  Information for the State Health Centers can be found here – https://www.health.pa.gov/about/pages/State%20Health%20Centers.aspx.  In addition, there is a federally funded program called Vaccines for Children (VFC) that provides free immunizations for those children that qualify based upon having no health insurance or insurance that does not cover immunizations (underinsured).  There is yet another resource called the School Immunization Catch Up (SICU) program, the details of which are also found on the DOH website.

  

Thank you for your efforts to ensure the health and well-being of Pennsylvania’s students.

 

Sincerely,

 

Loren K. Robinson, MD, MSHP, FAAP

Deputy Secretary for Health Promotion and Disease

Pennsylvania Department of Health

 

Matthew Stem

Deputy Secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Pennsylvania Department of Education