A public health nurse gives an immunization injection.

As reported here on May 16, schools across Pennsylvania were forced to ban students from attending as part of an effort to catch up on required immunizations and record keeping. Reports suggest that the effort payed off in many school districts. It took eight months plus two weeks, and the exclusion of hundreds of students to reach that end.
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A public health nurse gives an immunization injection.

When the school year began last September, large numbers of Pennsylvania school children lacked immunizations or the proof that they had received those immunizations. The Pennsylvania Department of Health notified families that they would have eight months to obtain immunizations, file the correct paperwork or provide the paperwork giving their student an exemption for medical, religious or philosophical reasons. The deadline passed and was extended for two weeks. Yesterday was it.
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Registered nurse 2nd Lt. Rebeccah Collins vaccinates Alexia Woods, 12, for chicken pox and meningitis during the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center School Physicals and Immunization Clinic at Fort Hood, Texas. Photo by Jeri Chappelle, CRDAMC Public Affairs

Every state mandates a set of immunizations in order for a child to enter public school. Some also require immunizations as the student gets older. The list varies slightly but a pertussis (whooping cough) immunization is required in all states.

Not every student in public will have all their immunizations. Every state also provides for conditions of exemption from one or more of the mandated immunizations.
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